Freedom Fighters
by Sunsway
Summary: B/w chasing salvation, more hunters and a new packmate, this whole surviving business may not be as easy as it sounds. Mayhap the greatest danger, however, is the crumbling trust and intensifying pack politics that are threatening to tear them apart. AU
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain

Between chasing salvation, more hunters and a new packmate, this whole surviving business may not be as easy as it sounds. Mayhap the greatest danger, however, is the crumbling trust and intensifying pack politics that are threatening to tear them apart. Somewhat AU

**Toboe-centric**

**No romance**

**No Mary Sues**

* * *

Chapter One 

There was no pain, only an irritating numbness. He could run and put weight on the injured paw, which he twisted whilst scrambling for cover, and as he urged himself forward he took care to not look behind at the bloody trail he was leaving. His whole body was numb even before the bullet found its way to his flank, yet he knew that feeling would be returning soon. He could only hope that the blood loss wouldn't twist his senses, and that his weak paw wouldn't suddenly give out.

Toboe's greatest issue, however, was his struggle against panic. He was grateful for his instincts, but when faced with someone like Quent and his snarling companion, it was just as important to keep a rational mind. Instincts told him to run until his lungs burst or his pursuers abandoned the chase, but no – his lungs hurt enough as it was, and his pursuers wouldn't drop this chase for a long while yet. They weren't hurt like he was. Toboe knew he was slowing down, and the best he could do now was look for a place where the hunter wouldn't be able to reach him, rather than run on blindly with bloody prints in his wake.

The streets were hard, gray concrete covered with a thin layer of ice. The buildings were lost in a haze of pollution, but loomed out of the darkness like black giants intent on preventing his escape. Each block seemed to stretch longer and longer, and every time he reached an alley he would duck inside and run through to another street, trying to lose his pursuers. He didn't get his hopes up – with that mad dog on his trail, it would be a miracle if he did lose them.

Toboe skidded across another corner, barely avoiding the glint of broken glass on the sidewalk. As it was, the ice seemed to freeze his paws, and he wouldn't have felt the pain anyway. The cold sent dull, painful throbs that racked his body. A dog snarled behind him as it leaped into the same alley, canines gleaming from the light of a dieing street lamp before it lunged after its prey and was shrouded in darkness.

Another bullet ricocheted off of the black street next to the pup – another wound avoided, though not for much longer. The next one would hit him, Toboe was sure. It was just a matter of time, this chase.

His pack was somewhere in this city, exploring the rubbish dumps in search of food. If they heard the commotion, they would rush to their designated meeting place. Once they realized that Toboe wasn't there, they would look for him, and it would be too late.

_Hot pain, a moment of madness, and a resounding crash upon red, wet ice. _

His paw gave out. He rolled onto his stomach, but didn't have the strength (or the will) to get up again. The snarling shadow approached him, eyes gleaming with excitement. Here was the climax of the hunt.

Pain and confusion clouded Toboe's senses, and perhaps this was what prevented him from noticing the other approaching canine. However, nothing but bloodlust hovered over the snarling shadow, and she sensed the intruder, and her attention turned away from her intended prey.

A great ragged wolf barreled into Blue, jaws snapping and seeking her throat. It was larger and older than the black dog, though shaggier and worse for wear. Drool dripped off its fangs and its eyes danced with madness. Instinct drove this wolf – protect the pup. Blue yelped, and snapped at the intruder's form – not aiming for anything, but desperate to get away. She was disoriented and vulnerable, torn between going for the pup or for her own attacker.

A sharp yell, another ricocheting bullet.

Strong jaws clamped onto the black dog's hind leg, biting through skin and into bone. The wolf braced its paws against the ice and snapped its head to the side. A loud _crack_ and a yelp, and the black dog was sprawled on the earth with a sickly twisted paw, blood oozing from the open wound and dislocated joint.

The dog's owner fired again, and this time the wolf moved toward Toboe. Gently, its jaws closed over the cowering pup's neck, and by the scruff, it dragged him further into the alley to emerge on the other side, in another street. Quent didn't come after them.

Toboe didn't make a sound. As they emerged on the street, he could feel another set of jaws, and this time it was two wolves dragging him. Through the haze of throbbing pain emanating from his paw and flank he could sense three more totting next to them. A second later he recognized their scents, and a brief sense of joy filled his being as he realized it was his pack.

They moved like this for about five minutes, though to Toboe it felt like hours. They stopped at an old metal playground, the swings creaking in the wind. It was a sad, desolate place, as if mourning ghosts of children trod over the cold slides in a memory of play. Once again, the pup rolled onto his stomach and gazed around.

Hige sat himself next to Toboe, and proceeded to lick the wound on his flank. He snuck wary glances at the new wolf, which was standing off to the side.

The wolf was a female. Her coat was shaggy and caked in mud, and looked heavy and unappealing. It was a dark brownish color, though lighter on the inside of her paws, belly, throat and muzzle. She was a large wolf – probably as large as Kiba, even without the majestic coat. Her frame was very powerful – wide rib cage and massive bones, with layers of taught muscle. Though she still looked half-starved, Toboe knew that this animal was not one to mess with – he had glimpsed her rage when she defended him, and the fact that it was him she fought for procured a feeling of security. She was older and more experienced, though young and strong enough to run and fight like Pack and the black dog. He trusted her.

Surprisingly, Tsume stood there calmly. There was a calculating glint in his eye and he looked wary, but made no threatening gestures. This incident seemed to provoke a fragile trust, and the gray wolf accepted a truce with the stranger.

Somewhat rested, Toboe summoned his strength and scrambled to his paws. He was shaky and a little disoriented, but he could stand. He just had to avoid putting too much pressure on his weak paw, and try not to jolt the gun wound. Thankfully, it didn't inhibit his movements too much. It couldn't be as bad as he had previously feared.

Kiba and Tsume just gazed at the new wolf for a minute, then glanced at Toboe meaningfully. They had to move, and the she-wolf was coming with them. Had she not established herself as an ally, they would have undoubtedly chased her off.

It was Kiba who approached the new wolf. His posture wasn't aggressive, yet he held a calm aura of dominance. The she-wolf eyed him for a minute, but seemed to acknowledge his position in their pack. She didn't cower, but lowered her head so she had to look up to see his eyes. Nevertheless, her age and actions gave her enough power to speak without provoking an attack.

"As it is in the wilderness," she said, "it is a smart tactical gesture to stay with your pack, and especially with your pups." She was reprimanding them, and it was justified. Safety in numbers was a basic instinct, and one that was better off followed.

Kiba was unfazed. "We masked ourselves," he replied. "Sometimes it pays to do it the human way whilst on human territory." That statement made him cringe – he didn't like the humans and he hated their ways, but they couldn't always act like wolves in a city.

The she-wolf gave him a flat stare, but otherwise seemed to accept his argument.

The swaggering footsteps of a drunk could be heard not too far away from where the group rested, and the wolves retreated to the other side of the playground. They allowed the she-wolf to approach Toboe (who whimpered submissively, but gazed at her with trusting eyes), and her presence ousted Hige from the pup's side. She licked the blood off of Toboe's wound, her rough tongue carefully cleaning off the dirt like a mother would. The familiarity with which she approached him momentarily stunned the pup, but it felt nice to be cared for in such a fashion, and the others allowed it.

The wolves knew they couldn't linger there for long, and they had to move on from the city now that Quent had caught up to them. They could go without food for a little while more. Kiba and Tsume's ears perked forward as their instincts told them it was time to move. The hunter was coming.

The she-wolf gave them a brief glance and stood, just as the first sounds of an angry curse echoed down the street. Toboe, with Hige at his side, heaved himself up and they took off at a steady trot. They were heading for the wilderness.

About twenty meters away from the group another bullet hit the pavement. Quent was onto them, though Blue wasn't at his side. Either way, the wolves took off. They approached the outskirts of the city, a tall fence with metal wiring the only barrier between them and the wild. Thankfully this was an industrial area, and crates were stacked against the fence. Kiba and Tsume leaped it swiftly, and Toboe grudgingly scrambled up the crates. He didn't feel much like jumping.

Another curse, and their pursuer stopped. He held up his gun and took careful aim.

Hige scrambled up the crates after Toboe, prodded the pup with his nose to get him to hurry, and squeezed past him to tumble to the other side of the fence. The she-wolf leaped onto the crates as well, and seized the pup by the scruff of his neck, leaping and dragging him to the other side just as a crate exploded under them with a well-placed bullet.

They landed on the other side with a yelp, and scrambled up hastily. Together the pack took off again, finally succeeding in their escape. Kiba led them, but they ran slower than usual. They surrounded their weakest in a show of support, shielding him from the biting wind and the bitter snow.

When they finally stopped a mile away, with empty stomachs and downtrodden spirits, and huddled together in relative warmth, they talked.

* * *

It was morning. Dawn chased the blackness of the sky away, but it was still gray and clouded with pollution. A bitter wind tore along the white plain – it was cold and stunk of kerosene, and was anything but pleasant. Thankfully the snow wasn't deep, but it was wet and awfully cold, and black mud crept through the white blanket. 

Huddled with pack mates it wasn't freezing, but Toboe was still shivering. Collen, the great she-wolf, shifted next to him and sat up slowly. Kiba and Tsume were already up, sniffing the air and studying the dark shape of the city which they left yesterday. Hige sat on Toboe's other side, gazing at him mournfully.

"Looks like we starve," he said. "We're not going back to that city, and what are the chances of coming across game in a place like this?" He looked around pointedly. There was not a tree in sight. On the northern horizon loomed the city, and on the southwest stretched a range of jagged white mountains.

"There should be something a bit farther down, away from the city," informed Collen. "No sane animal would wander this close to humanity, but with any luck there'll be some forested area farther from the city." The irony of the 'sane animal' comment wasn't lost on Toboe. Mayhap they were chasing a dream, but he didn't believe so, and quite happily classified himself and his companions as 'sane,' no matter where their wanderings took them. Besides, Collen was in the same boat.

Toboe's bullet wound turned out to be more of a deep graze. The bullet had entered his side at an angle and passed through his body, but only through skin and muscle. There was no serious bleeding, and though in a bit of pain, he was fit enough to travel. The lax muscle in his paw had also regained its strength. Overall, fear was probably a big cause of his collapse the previous night.

His thoughts were interrupted as a presence loomed over his quivering form. Toboe looked up into fierce golden eyes, gathered his strength, and stood. He couldn't afford to be weak, because the weak were left behind.

"Let's move," Kiba said, and lead the pack of five in an exhilarating run, heading towards the mountains.

* * *

Noon found the wolves treading down a hill, weak sunrays breaking the gloom of the scenery and lighting their path. The heavy cloud of fumes had more or less lifted from their senses since they left the city far behind, and if not for the biting hunger the trek might have even been pleasant. Toboe loved having Collen around, and the she-wolf watched over him with a dominating but caring attitude. It was like having a mother again. 

"Strange how I didn't smell you when we first entered the city, Collen," chattered Hige.

"Is it?" she replied conversationally. "I couldn't smell you either. I couldn't smell anything but humanity and the stench of their metal contraptions."

Toboe agreed wholeheartedly. The stench almost seemed to burn his lungs, never mind his nose. The fumes exhaled by cars cloaked the whole city, and he was sure that the residents would just shrivel up and die if they stayed in that place too long. Humans were strange creatures. Even while living among them they seemed weird. Empty almost, with a deep-seated fear of the wilderness. He secretly thought that cities were much like anthills, but didn't voice the comparison.

Hige shuddered at the mere memory of the abuse that his senses had suffered. "Point taken," he grunted.

"It's still strange how you traveled without a pack," Tsume cut in. "Personally, I wouldn't think you'd dare. Not in the wilderness, not alone."

"They ousted me in the middle of nowhere," replied Collen. "It wasn't too long ago. I arrived at that city only a couple of weeks before you came along."

"Why'd they chase you off?"

"I couldn't travel quickly enough, and they needed to move." Collen had mentioned this the other night in their conversation. She was a beta, and two middle wolves decided they wanted rank and attacked her. Collen was a proud wolf, and she didn't submit like they hoped she would, which she in turn learned to regret. In the end, the pack left two wolves behind – one dead, and the other weak and wounded. Following the stench, Collen had made her way to the city in a day and healed, surviving on scraps and rubbish. Leaving then without a pack would be suicide – not only would it be difficult to hunt alone, but she would catch her death in the cold.

It was unusual for wolves to get very serious injuries in a battle for dominance, much less killed. A glint in Tsume's eyes told Toboe that the she-wolf's story didn't quite add up for him, but personally the pup didn't doubt her. Collen had no reason to lie, and made no indication that she _was_ lieing – she was calm and sure. Pressure might have driven the wolves to rage and madness – were they hunted? Did starvation make them irritable? Did they lose pack mates, which in turn caused a great scramble for rank from the survivors? Collen wasn't very forthcoming on the details, but it didn't matter. Whatever happened, she had a new pack now, and the past could be left unsaid. Kiba and Hige seemed to share Toboe's logic.

At the base of the hill that the pack was descending stretched a long plain. A patch of forested area was visible far ahead. It looked to be a few miles wide, but from their position the wolves couldn't tell how far it stretched. Farther ahead loomed tall, rocky hills, and patches of dead yellow grass peeked from the thin layer of snow that covered them. Beyond all this rose the mountains, though they were much farther ahead.

It took the pack another hour to cover the miles and reach the forest. It was a deciduous forest with black, naked trunks and widespread branches covered with a thin dusting of snow and ice. There were no bushes, only the trees, and the place looked rather desolate. When winter passed, Toboe was sure that it would be budding with life.

The small and easy game, like rabbits, was bound to be sleeping in their hidey-holes. Toboe could smell deer on the wind, and the thought of a good meal pumped renewed energy through his veins. There was a thin, bent tree not far off with a scarred trunk, the bark having been peeled off months ago when a buck shed the velvet from his antlers. Hige already buried his nose in the snow, and the others were sniffing the wind. No words were exchanged as the pack focused on the hunt.

Hige led the way as they trekked through the snow, peering into the distance between the trees, sniffing the wind and the ground. Their ears were perked for any signs of life besides themselves. A woodpecker made its presence known far above them.

The forest smelled of nature and a variety of birds and animals, including bears. Thankfully they were still in hibernation. The trickling of a stream could be heard in the distance, though Toboe knew that the banks were probably still frozen.

Minutes passed, which eventually turned into an hour, then two. The sun visibly shifted, approaching sunset. The pack was already deep in the forest, and there was more mud than snow on the ground. They were tired from the journey and starvation, and they needed rest more so than sustenance. Toboe's back was still sore from the bullet graze – it was a persistent throbbing pain, though the cold numbed it to a dull ache.

"We have to stop," said Kiba finally. "We'll wait until evening, and hopefully they'll settle down to sleep somewhere." Deer slept in herds, especially in winter. It was for warmth as well as safety and companionship. For a pack of five, however, a large herd wouldn't be much of a problem anyway, though it was doubtful they gathered in particularly large herds in a small forest like this one in the first place.

It took the pack about ten minutes to reach the stream that they heard earlier, and they settled down at its banks. The banks looked to be made of clay and were devoid of any particularly large plants, and the wind blew slightly stronger here. If there were any deer upwind from them, especially by the stream, the pack would be able to smell them. Approaching from this direction would also prevent the deer from catching their scents.

The sun set and the temperature steadily dropped. The wolves were huddled together next to a young birch, Toboe nestled warmly against Collen's great form with Tsume at his other side. Hige and Kiba were pressed against their backs in a tight-knit circle.

The earth retained little warmth from the sun, and the constant cold was starting to affect the pup. His paws were numb and his body sore with fatigue, his lungs aching with the cold air they were forced to process. Even with the weak tremors running through his body, the prospect of rest did not lull him to sleep.

He pressed tighter against Collen's side and marveled at the fortune that bestowed her upon them. By Toboe, her presence was very welcome indeed. She represented the diligence that they would need to accomplish their goal, and her quiet strength inspired Toboe to try his hardest in succeeding in every trial that this journey threw at him. He tried his hardest to not fall behind in their runs, to contribute something to the pack, and to be a factor in this journey, not just a tag-along.

Collen was his comfort, but it was Tsume that really drove Toboe to prove himself. It was Tsume he looked up to, and it was Tsume's respect that he was trying to win. Toboe wasn't ignorant in the slightest, and he was well aware that the older wolf was, in a way, _fond_ of him -- but he was viewed as a pup, someone to be protected. Toboe wanted to be the one protect_ing_ for a change.

In the end, it was Kiba that drove them all. He gave them a common goal, and when times were bleak he inspired them with his quiet diligence and firm belief in their cause. He convinced them to search for something that felt so much like a dream, yet the mere mention of it stirred their blood in a way that convinced them that it was very real indeed. The scent that guided them toward this dream only fortified their belief.

Twilight descended and passed, the jagged branches of the empty canopies high above them casting writhing shadows upon the snow and mud. The air cooled. The biting starvation that had long settled in the wolves' stomachs intensified, and it was to great pleasure that their senses picked up the scent of no less than four deer further up the stream.

Kiba rose silently, a glint of something dark in his eyes betraying his desperation for a successful hunt. Toboe felt the same way, and as adrenaline settled in his veins again and his senses sharpened, he was sure that they would finally eat tonight. Failure was inconceivable.

The pack distanced themselves from the bank and followed the stream, somewhat sheltered by the trees. They trekked upwind, and as minutes passed and the scent grew stronger their ears picked up the unmistakable crunching sound of hoof on frozen mud. Just ahead, their gray coats filtering through the low naked branches of bush and tree, were four mule deer does. Their ears were perked and they were looking around, turning in a circle, and making small grunting noises. They looked nervous, and their eyes were bright and alive. They were alert, and obviously sensed danger. To their left was the stream, and as the pack dispersed to quietly surround the does in a semi-circle the wolves were no longer upwind, and their prey was no longer oblivious to their presence.

The does' haunches lowered and their necks stretched taught, the whites of their eyes showing in panic. They bolted along the stream's bank in a swift strotting gait, the wolves in close pursuit. Kiba was running along their side, preventing the deer from leaving the stream to escape into the forest. Collen was not far behind him, with Tsume, Hige and Toboe bringing up the rear, jaws snapping after their prey, who were only meters ahead.

For the three wolves at the back of the precession, it was hard going – the bank of the river was soft and muddy, and the suction made it difficult to run. Fortunately, the deer had the same problem. Kiba and Collen, who were running farther from the bank but still parallel to the stream, were running on hard ground and had an advantage.

With Collen keeping the deer at the water's edge, Kiba quickly overtook them and lunged for the closest doe's throat. He missed, but their target was marked, and as the doe flailed in her attempt to get away Tsume quickly bit into her leg to pull her to the ground. The other deer were gone and the pack quickly surrounded their prey.

Just because a doe doesn't have antlers doesn't mean that she's completely defenseless. A deer's hooves are very hard and sharp, and as the doe landed heavily on her side Tsume quickly let go and leapt aside to avoid getting kicked. Kiba lunged for the throat again, and this time his aim was true. He stood there for a minute, and the doe's flailing became weaker and weaker as she suffocated. Their breath misted before them as they waited, the doe's quiet grunts breaking the silence. When she was finally dead, the other wolves lunged at her and tore into her side, at last sating their hunger.

To Toboe, this experience was reminiscent of the terror that he experienced when being chased by Quent and Blue, only this time he was the hunter. His position in this chase made him feel powerful, yet his unstable emotions when faced with such memories made him feel weak. It was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts, and a paradox he didn't much enjoy.

Wolves were never meant to experience such terror. They were meant to bestow it upon their prey, this weakness – but never experience it. Life has an order and laws – some animals run and some animals chase, and for a wolf to be the one running is a grievous loss of control. There is never any sympathy from the predators—Quent hunted out of hate and the pack hunted out of necessity. Undoubtedly, just as the doe was run down, the wolves would some day be run down as well.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain.

* * *

Chapter Two

A pensive silence settled over the earth, characteristic of a period of waiting. There was expectation on the wind. Soon now, an action to indicate an end to blissful rest – rest that gently stroked the senses with cold, crooked fingers; rest that promised an eternity of peace.

The wolves knew that peace was an illusion just as they knew that there is no rest in death. An urge born of an instinct to survive bade them to break the spell that winter cast.

Toboe followed the lead of his vehement alpha and scrambled to his paws, watching with interest as Kiba shook the snow from his own pale coat. He repeated the action absentmindedly, and stretched, feeling the blood heat in his veins as he urged his muscles to work. This action spurred a dull soreness in his flank as feeling flooded back to his cold body. Toboe groaned tiredly.

A wet nose nuzzled his shoulder, and the pup looked up into the knowing eyes of the ragged she-wolf. His ears perked with appreciation.

Their breaths misted before them as the five wolves moved through the frosty air, passing the bare black trunks of the forest that was their temporary shelter. Toboe felt like he was traveling through a dream, the only colour in the forest being that of his companions' rusty coats. The cold meddled with his senses and dulled the feeling of his body, and though somewhere in the back of his mind Toboe acknowledged it as a beckoning from death, he somehow felt more energized than before. His stomach was no longer complaining from hunger, yet the weightless daze that gripped the pup now was a different problem altogether. Winter was as renowned for its subtle promises of eternal rest as it was for its cruel blizzards.

The pack's steady trot through the forest warmed them somewhat, and the real world reestablished its grasp on their senses. Though their lungs seemed to be filled with icy needles, their blood was hot again. The glaze left their eyes and the numbness left their paws. It hurt steadily and wonderfully. It made them feel alive.

Hige snapped after Toboe, his fur standing on end and his ears perked forward. The pup responded by leaping into a run, bypassing Tsume and Collen. Hige lumbered after him, his tongue lolling, his eyes shining. The rest followed their lead, breaking into a steady run, working off the exhilaration that food and rest cast upon them; shaking off the winter's clutches and regaining control. As always, Kiba took the lead, Tsume close behind him. Collen stayed at the back, watching interestedly as Hige and Toboe nudged each other with playful growls.

The forest didn't wean – it thickened. The trees became more wild, the naked canopies somewhat preserving the dark earth at their base. The ground was more or less free of snow, yet a thin layer of ice covered the earth. The mud was hard and solid. The mountains were visible on the high horizon, beckoning the wolves with their hypnotizing sameness, their absolute stillness. Of course they were still – they were rock, always there – and yet through the mist of winter Toboe saw them swaying rhythmically, beckoning, welcoming the approaching wolves. Their bases looked grounded, but their caps unsteady, as if they were waiting to tumble and bury them. The pup refused to dwell on the illusion.

The magic of the run ended as suddenly, unexpectedly, the wolves stumbled onto a track. It looked like a country road winding its way through the forest -- two dirt lanes that would mark the path of a car's wheels with dead grass between them. Kiba's ears flattened against his skull in displeasure, and Tsume adopted an air of pretend indifference with an underlying growl of irritation. Collen merely acknowledged the sign of humanity with minimum interest, and Hige lowered his nose to the ground and began sniffing.

"Let's just go," mumbled Kiba. "Human stench is not our guide here." Toboe acknowledged him by sniffing the wind, but the sweet aroma of the lunar flower seemed to have faded into a dream. He thought he could sense it, but it might have been merely his expectation and hope that it was still there that fooled his senses. Throughout their journey, the scent came and went; Kiba seemed to be the most adapted at catching it. When Toboe glanced at his alpha, however, he was dismayed to see that that the scent has also eluded him. Disappointment marked his posture.

"The wind has changed," Tsume murmured, "but our destination still lies in the mountains."

"There's a village around here somewhere," Hige added. "I reckon we should go check it out…."

"No," snapped Kiba. Hige looked at him warily, and he sighed. Then, a little softer: "There's really no need. We know where we have to go. Besides, I doubt Quent will be detained for too long just because his _pet_ was a little roughed up." His eyes darkened with resentment. "We can't afford to stop now…"

Collen gazed at him for a minute as Kiba trailed off, then glanced at Toboe. "How are you holding up?" She eyed him tenderly, studying his wound.

"I'm better," he replied meekly. His wound still ached, but it was a distant sort of feeling, as if he was observing someone else's pain and not his own. Collen observed him for a few moments longer but accepted his words. Tsume didn't even glance at Toboe, but stood with one ear turned to the pup and his head slightly cocked to the side. Toboe smiled inwardly at the older wolf's attempt to mask his interest.

The wolves crossed the track and moved off into the woods, though now they were more alert and wary. They knew that there was a settlement somewhere around here, and treaded carefully. Toboe's fur stood on end as he sensed another subtle shift in the wind, and Hige stopped to sniff the air for a minute before they continued.

Around midday, the pack emerged on a small clearing. The mud here seemed to be frozen in a rather disturbed state, deer hoof prints indicating a flurry of activity. A small patch of dark red colour could be seen on one side of the clearing, where a deer had collapsed. From this spot, another track could be seen where its body was dragged off by hunters. An unpleasant potent smell hung in this area; it stunk of the animals' horror and the death of a young buck. Toboe could almost taste the iron in the air over the copper blood stain. It wasn't a particularly unpleasant experience for a wolf, but the underlying scent of hunting dogs (possibly greyhounds – bred and trained for large game) bade Toboe to exercise caution while traversing this forest. If they weren't careful, they could be scented and tracked by the dogs, and ultimately by the humans.

Normally, dogs weren't a threat to wolves – the greater canines exercised dominance over the mutts. When it came to hounds that had humans to protect as well as to back them, however, it would be best to stay hidden. Blue was the perfect example of a dog obsessed with the hunt and with her human.

To the pack's dismay, the hunters' track seemed to lead to the southwest – the direction of the mountains, and the wolves' destination. Hige smartly informed that that's also where he sensed the settlement. By his estimation (that was based on his sense of smell), it wasn't a particularly large village – just a small forest settlement, yet there was a definite stench of dog. It was a few miles down the track.

"We can circle them downwind, so those dogs don't sense us," Collen suggested.

"Chances are, the wind will change," replied Kiba. "But we don't have much of a choice, do we?"

"We could move out of their sensory range," Hige put in.

"And lose hours of sunlight? I don't think so. The lunar scent has moved on, and we need to hurry if we hope to catch up to it." Kiba was quick to shoot down their suggestins. "How many mutts would you estimate?"

"At least a dozen. It's probably a trading village, lugging meat to the city or something. It's certainly teeming with hounds," Hige informed.

Tsume shifted, drawing the others' attention. "They're below us. They won't come after wolves if we move swiftly and at a distance." He seemed so sure of himself, Toboe found himself believing him. Then his mind traveled back to his injury, and he wondered what would happen to him if Tsume was wrong. They would likely go for the weakest first, and he was suddenly apprehensive, though struggling not to show it.

Toboe then sensed eyes on him, and turned to look at Collen. She eyed him for a minute, then turned to the alpha. "And what of the pup?" she enquired. "There are a lot of them, and hounds are very territorial. If Hige is right in his estimation, they're also likely to be confident in their numbers. If we have to run, are you willing to risk Toboe falling behind because of his injury?"

A sort of realization spread itself over Hige's features, and he glanced at the pup. "Toboe?" he ventured, almost guiltily in the face of his forgetfulness.

"He'll be fine," Tsume stated confidently. Toboe glanced at him, surprised by his sure tone. The older wolf carried an aura of stern determination as he eyed the pup. Suddenly, Toboe understood what Tsume was hinting at as a memory resurfaced on his mind – the warm feeling of being safe and protected as he lay across the other wolf's back, being carried out of danger. If they had to run, Tsume was volunteering to carry him again, albeit in a roundabout way that made him sound gruff and annoyed. A sort of warmth settled in Toboe's stomach, and his tail swished in appreciation.

Kiba snickered quietly, giving Tsume a knowing look. "Then it's settled," he said. He took the lead and led the pack in a westerly direction, so the wolves could pass the village by about a mile, currently downwind. They all knew that the wind would possibly change, and some primal instinct told them it was very likely.

* * *

The forest was quiet; the birds hushed. The various animal scents gradually receded as the wolves approached the village, though the darkly animalistic smell of greyhounds intensified slightly. All predatory animals had 'dark' scents (if such a thing could ever be described in shades), but the mingling with human stench made this one particularly alarming.

The rhythmic jingling of Toboe's silver bracelets and the steady creak of Hige's leather collar helped break the silence. Their paws were quiet, but their breathing deep and steady; loud in the sleeping forest. The wind swayed the canopies of the arching trees, making the branches creak dismally as they rubbed against each other. The pack was tense, though the higher members of their hierarchy – Kiba and Tsume – tried not to show it. Instead, they focused their energy on their senses – the messages that the wind and earth carried.

"Not much farther now," Hige whispered. Collen shot him a solemn look, and nuzzled Toboe's side supportively. He returned the gesture with appreciation. Her eyes calmed him, placating his rising adrenaline. He knew that they were more likely to be sensed if they were excited. Their excitement was also likely to be interpreted as threatening by the dogs.

_Not that wolves wondering onto their territory wouldn't be perceived as threatening either way, _Toboe mused. He glanced up, glimpsing the heavens through the intertwining spidery branches of the trees. _If only the wind wouldn't change. If only they'd let us pass if it does. If only I wasn't tired, weak and wounded._

_Someday._ Someday he wouldn't have to worry about being hurt. He wouldn't have to worry about being hunted like some monster; wouldn't have to worry about losing all the time, just as long as he didn't lose sight of his goal now. He just had to live through the Now, and reach Then. Reach over the distance – the village and its dangers, the forest, the plains and hills that followed it, the looming mountains. Reach through the hurt; answer to the calling of the lunar scent that so stirred his blood. Reach Paradise. They would.

Eventually, they came upon a footpath. It curved in a way that was parallel to their intended course, so for ease of wander, they followed the path instead. It was another risk, but it would make their trek easier – the ground here was hard and well trodden.

Surprisingly, it wasn't the wind that presented the wolves' first obstacle. Through the trees on the side, they glimpsed a dark shape. Further observation revealed it to be a young man, standing stock-still in a brown winter coat and hat. In his hand was a long, double-barreled rifle. He was gazing at them, transfixed and evaluating. At his side was a cowering greyhound bitch, her lip curled defensively and her tail between her legs.

The man raised his hand and brushed his knuckles on the underside of his jaw in a gesture of thoughtfulness. His eyes shifted from one canine to another, lingering on the odd bits – Toboe's bracelets and Hige's collar, and Tsume's perfectly X-shaped scar. Toboe briefly wondered what the man was thinking. Did he think that they were runaway dogs, gone wild? The man's eyes then moved to Kiba, his face expressionless. With the characteristic snowy coat of an Arctic wolf and his overall majesty, Kiba could hardly pass for a normal dog. Overall, they probably looked quite threatening.

The man fluidly strapped a long leather leash to the dog's collar, and started dragging her away. She seemed reluctant, constantly looking over her shoulder and curling her lip, flashing her teeth. Her master pointedly ignored her interest and the focus of her attention, strolling briskly into the woods. He was heading toward the village.

Collen gazed after the man wistfully. "Should have killed him," she muttered.

Hige and Toboe gave the she-wolf incredulous looks, but Kiba and Tsume seemed wary. "If he goes and tells his friends that there's a pack of wolves about, there'll be trouble," Tsume muttered.

Hige adopted an understanding expression, turning to gaze after the man thoughtfully. "Should have maimed him, then."

Toboe gave Hige a patronizing glance, but quickly looked away as the older wolf cocked his head at the pup. Collen just shook her head at them and moved on, following Kiba. The alpha has quickened their pace, his instincts forming a rightful distrust of humans. They adopted a quick, trotting gait, aiming to cover a reasonable distance quickly, trying to get onto safer territory.

It was not to be.

* * *

The sun was steadily approaching the horizon, indicating late afternoon. An ominous, iron-colored cloud was drifting over the wide expense of the sky, riding the high winds. The usual winter silence that drifted over the forest was broken by a flurry of action – wolves leaping over a fallen log, struggling to find their footing on the slippery ground. They were focused, their sharp eyes observing all the possible ways that they could go without getting caught in the grasp of winding branches. Their mouths were open and panting, their breaths misting before them. Besides being a cold, uncomfortable run, it was also a failing escape.

One thing that separated wolves from other animals, and grouped them closer to humanity, was their ability to reason. While a deer may have run blindly and in any direction to escape its pursuers, the wolves wove a clever trail. They found such obstacles that would make it difficult for human runners to follow, leaping over wet, slippery crevices and rocks.

Human hunters, with their sharp aims and loaded rifles, weren't the greatest threat right now. On the wolves' trail was also a pack of swift greyhounds, sure-footed and able. They were raised to run in these conditions. They were racing to please their human counterparts, to add a beautiful pelt to their masters' collections. It was like hunting for the best buck – the most agile, big and beautiful. While a buck was valued by its size and the majesty of its antlers, a wolf would be valued by its pelt. It would be an unusual kill, and one that would be sure to earn some good money on the market. Easy to imagine – offering the pelt of a supposedly extinct animal.

Kiba led his pack at a swift, speedy gait. The wolves took full advantage of their superior strength and agility, their instinct guiding their paws so they didn't step on sharp rocks or other dangerous objects. They were driven by adrenaline, running even though something in their blood cried for them to turn and fight; to establish their dominance against the hounds – about ten of them. Toboe knew it wasn't worth it.

He was gasping, not only because of the icy prickling in his lungs but also because his side felt tight, as if the muscle seized up. It refused to work, succumbing to the wound that Quent has left him with, but Toboe urged his body forward desperately. His gait was thrown, and he was now running with an awkward limp, tilting sideways to try and relieve the pressure on the locked muscle.

An enraged, desperate whine sounded from Toboe's side. Collen was running next to him, her lip curled upwards, blowing air through her teeth as her eyes focused on the struggling pup. He knew she wasn't mad at him, but rather at the situation they were now presented with. Hige glanced back quickly, his eyes widening as he caught sight of Toboe. "Stop!" he cried frantically. "Guys, stop!"

Kiba and Tsume turned and skid to a halt just as Toboe crashed onto the ground, splaying snow and ice as he slid on the earth. He hastily braced his front paws and clenched his jaws, struggling to pull himself up. Collen quickly positioned herself over him, keeping him down. "Relax," she whispered as she turned to look in the direction they have come. She lowered her head, her sharp eyes observing the woods as the sounds of the hounds steadily approached them, echoing throughout the forest.

"Don't relax, don't relax!" Hige rambled frantically. "Let him up, we need to _move!_" His pupils were unnaturally big, shifting from the forest to Collen to Kiba. "Tell her, Kiba!"

Tsume quickly stepped in, and Kiba looked at him instead. "I'll take care of them," said the gray wolf. "You get moving." He sounded calm and determined, yet there was an undertone of urgency in his voice.

Hige looked uncertain, not liking the idea of separation. As the sounds continued to get louder and louder, however, he conceded. "Fine. Come on, twerp," he said to the pup.

"No," Tsume said sharply. "You're coming with _me._ You'll be the distraction."

Hige gaped for a moment, his ears flattened in displeasure. He then lowered his head and looked at Kiba with a moan of protest. The alpha, however, merely cocked his head in a contemplating manner and eyed Tsume, who gazed back steadily.

"Sorry, Hige," Kiba finally said. He still watched the gray wolf, his eyes relaying a clear message – _I trust you not to get killed._ He then nodded to Collen and Toboe. "Come." Collen already had Toboe situated on her back, his head hanging over her shoulder by the side of her neck. His eyes were half-closed and unfocused. He looked limp and unresponsive.

As the three wolves progressed farther into the forest, Tsume started walking around the clearing, rubbing against stumps and branches. Hige, catching on, rolled on the ground with a frantic, fearful agility. After a few moments, he rose with a huff and the two quickly leaped into a run, moving at about a forty-five degree angle to the path that their packmates chose. The greyhounds were meant to catch the dominating scent, following Tsume and Hige instead of the slowy-progressing alpha, she-wolf and pup.

* * *

The sun was setting, darkness spilling over the sky as if some god overturned their jar of night in the east. The sky was still somewhat light and colorful in the west, where the rays lingered. The incessant wind seemed determined to beat the forest to the ground, and it was anything but a quiet night.

Sharp whistles pierced the normal sounds of the forest, sounding somewhere far in the distance. It was not a pleasant sound to canine ears, yet to Kiba and his pack it was the sound of salvation. They were hunters' whistles, calling back the hounds from what he hoped was an unsuccessful kill.

Toboe was slung over the alpha's back, Collen's strength having been depleted some forty minutes ago. They trudged on unsteady paws through the foliage, their bodies quivering with pent-up apprehension and exhaustion. When the hunt had concluded, Kiba had dropped onto his stomach; head resting on his paws, ears drooped and eyes half-closed, welcoming sleep. Collen merely paused to pull the unconscious pup off of her alpha's back, plopping down at his side and lending him her body heat.

Tsume and Hige had yet to rejoin them, and apprehension had pooled in their stomachs as they waited. The worst has passed, yet now they feared the aftermath. It was time to rest, but as long as they were separated rest would not come easily.

About ten minutes later, the distinct stench of dog stirred Kiba's senses. His eyes opened and he shifted slightly, turning his head to look to the side and into the shadowy forest. He saw a dark shape at the edge of his senses, its eyes glowing eerily in the filtered moonlight. It was a greyhound – its light, delicate structure and long limbs casting lanky shadows on the frigid earth. It watched them calmly, unwilling to approach. Kiba gazed back steadily and curled his lip in a threatening manner, eyes narrowing. The dog backed off, turned and loped into the shadows.

Something raw and feral shifted in Kiba's chest, urging him to run after the mutt and chase it from his pack. He knew, however, that the dog was probably alone – the others had responded to the whistles and abandoned the chase. It was not much of a threat. Nevertheless, the idea of being watched by that dog – tracked by sight, sound and smell – was very unappealing. _I'm waiting,_ he thought, gazing after the dog. _I'm waiting, you mutt, so come and get me._ His thoughts were so powerful, he attempted to project them to the dog as he watched the shadows in which it disappeared. His whole being was filled with malice; he wanted to hurt it as some kind of roundabout revenge for tearing his pack in two. _Come and get Toboe – I'd like to see you try._

Then, Kiba remembered the man – the one that they saw in the forest before this hunt started; the one that rubbed his knuckles on the underside of his chin in thought. This greyhound was _his_ bitch – he recognized the scent.

_Should have killed him._


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain.

* * *

Chapter Three

Toboe, though half-awake, was suffering. He couldn't feel his body, and didn't try to. Despite the cold, he was completely relaxed and drifted in a somewhat meditative state, though nightmarish. The memories that surfaced on his brittle conscience were not ones that he associated with negative feelings, but the way in which his mind replayed them – dark and fragmented, tainted – was not pleasant in the least.

Toboe remembered the kind old woman with whom he used to live. He remembered how she would bend her knees slightly, squatting as best as her arthritis would let her, and clap her hands to her knees. "Come, Toboe!" she would beckon. "Come!" Her voice would be warm with love, her old eyes shining with welcome. Toboe would then run to her and lick her hand, running circles around her in his excitement, his tail swishing madly. This was his usual reaction to her call, but sometimes he would put his front paws on her knees to lick her face.

"Ah, you want to dance, Toboe?" she would ask, and take his paws in her hands, laughing. He was smaller than, and she could hold him up.

Then he remembered the last time she called him. He wanted to put his paws on her knees, lick her face and dance, but something propelled him forward so that he put a little more force behind his hello than necessary. The old woman fell to the floor, her brittle bones and lax muscles unable to support his weight. He licked her face, but she didn't respond as she normally would. She didn't want to dance.

_(He moaned and yelped in his sleep, half-open eyes seeing things that were not really there.)_

Toboe then succumbed to an older, hazier memory. He was about two months old when his pack perished. His pack only consisted of four members – a male, two females and himself. They were overwhelmed by a pack of city dogs (_or was it wolves?)_ who perceived their presence as threatening.

There was his mother – delicate, careful, shy. She was always gentle with him. The other female who took care of him was somewhat rougher, though no less warm. Toboe couldn't quite place his mother's eyes, and he couldn't quite place her smell – those memories deserted him long ago. But the other one – she was large, strong, stern. When it came time to fight or die, she grabbed Toboe by the scruff of his neck and ran, going for the third option – _live_. Live with the shame of abandoning her pack, even as she rescued the pup. The pup was her first priority. How they separated later Toboe could not quite recall, but he did remember being surrounded by other wolves at some stage. They didn't mean him harm, as he was too little to hurt them in any way. And when they disappeared in the shadows of the city, his protector disappeared with them. Somehow, Toboe ended up with the old woman whom he later killed.

When he opened his eyes as consciousness returned to him for a brief few moments, he saw the she-wolf watching him; and then he knew, or thought he knew, why she treated him with such warmth and familiarity. The truth was in her eyes, in her scent, in her broad physique. He fell asleep before he could contemplate this further, and the thought drifted away before he could grasp it and hold on to it. It was a thought that was brought on by pain and suffering; one that he would purposely push away later just as he would push away his nightmares.

As Toboe succumbed to sleep once again, another nightmare surfaced. It was close to his heart, tormenting him with, perhaps, one of his worst fears. He was running again – running from the greyhounds. The forest was unnaturally wild and dark, and still; the only sounds he could hear were the bloodthirsty growls and barks behind him, and the thumping of his own heart. The rest of his pack was somewhere ahead – first he could catch a glimpse of Kiba's white coat in the distance, and hear Hige's urgent calling, and then they disappeared altogether.

An echo of a memory surfaced – the old woman with whom he used to live would often tell him stories. Now, as he was running with the hounds on his trail, one of those stories came back to him. It was about a little red fox, running from a pack of dogs that chased her.

The fox scrambled into a cave that was too small for the hounds to fit in, and settled down to wait. _Little paws, little paws!_ She said. _How did you contribute to my escape?)_

And the paws answered, _Mother Fox, we carried you to safety.)_

The fox hummed, pleased. _Little eyes little eyes, how did you contribute to my escape?)_

And the eyes answered, _Mother Fox, we showed you where to go.)_

Toboe quickly leaped into a rocky alcove, knowing that the hounds couldn't reach him there.

The fox purred with pleasure. _Little ears little ears, how did you contribute to my escape?)_

The ears answered, _Mother Fox, we helped you sense the dogs.)_

He jerked with apprehension as the dogs leaped upon his hideout, scratching at the entrance, drool flying from their snapping jaws. He cowered.

_(Little tail little tail, how did you contribute to my escape? _Asked the fox.

The tail answered, _Mother Fox, I gave the hounds something to grasp onto to help them catch you!)_

The fox gasped, outraged. _Then they can have you!_ She stuck her tail out of her cave, wishing the hounds to grasp it; and so they did.

Reality snapped back into sharp focus. Toboe chuckled mirthlessly, beating down his terror. _I'm not a little fox, _he moaned, _and you can't have my tail._

He opened his eyes then, to see the real world. He was sprawled over Collen's back, feeling her muscles shift as she walked. Kiba walked next to her, though his head was cocked towards Toboe, eyes dancing with amusement and concern.

After a moment of silence, he asked: "How are you?"

Toboe merely gazed back at Kiba for a moment, eyes glazed and incomprehensive. Then the glaze cleared, and he shifted slightly to look around. It was light. The branches didn't reach for him with their crooked fingers; they weren't running through the forest madly, being chased by hounds. They were moving at a leisurely pace. He turned back to Kiba, who continued to watch him interestedly. His eyes were still dancing, and Toboe studied him with confusion.

Collen hummed low in her throat. "Nobody's going to steal your tail, Toboe. Don't you worry."

Toboe looked confused for a moment, but then his expression cleared. He was too frazzled, too emotional to really feel embarrassed, still caught in the remnants of his delusions. Truthfully, he had expected this kind of comment to come from Hige, accompanied by loud guffaws. He looked around once more, not spotting either Hige or Tsume. When he asked, Kiba just sighed and stopped, hinting to Collen to put Toboe down. He looked ragged and apprehensive, the absence of his two packmates eating away at him. It was unusual to see Kiba this way, and Toboe felt a thread of worry worm itself into his heart.

As Kiba explained the situation, Toboe remembered their parting. He was lost in a haze of pain back then, but now the memories started to come back to him. He was agitated by the fact that he didn't know how Tsume and Hige were, but he was confident in their abilities. They weren't burdened with him as Kiba and Collen were, and thus could run freely. This thought made him feel guilty and incompetent, as this whole situation was the result of his collapse.

"Toboe," Collen whispered. "Don't burden yourself with those thoughts." She was observing him calmly. The pup was slightly shocked at just how well she could read him, and retreated into his own musings, staring into the forest dazedly.

"We're going to have to keep moving," said Kiba. Toboe didn't look very enthusiastic and moaned tiredly, so Kiba explained. "We're being trailed. It's just one hound and one hunter, but I don't want to risk catching his bullet. Tsume and Hige will know to keep moving toward the mountains." The unspoken _if they're still alive_ hung over them like a dark cloud. Toboe felt sure that they were.

Collen rose and nudged Toboe's side, trying to get him to stand. "Come, pup," she said. "You need to get up. Tread carefully and you should be fine." Toboe obeyed, and got to his paws slowly. His side was sore, and he knew he couldn't put too much faith in that muscle. It's only been a few days since they left the city, and it hadn't had a chance to heal properly. He'd have to take it easy for a while. When the wolves started moving, Toboe trudged with a slight limp in his back paw.

The three wolves were on constant alert, which was tiring. They were ready to bolt at the slightest hint from the hunter, though they would have to run lightly for Toboe's sake. The absence of Hige and Tsume was constantly eating away at them, grating on their nerves. Kiba and Collen paid special attention to Toboe's needs, though truthfully the only thing that would make Toboe feel better, forgetting all his physical problems, would be Tsume's presence. Tsume, though distant, always made Toboe feel protected.

The forest wasn't thinning, but the ground gradually merged into a more elevated landscape. There were more crevices and small valleys in the ground, the trees covering the hills like a blanket. The terrain became wilder as they approached the mountains, though they were still relatively far. It would be a number of days yet until they reached them, providing everything went well.

After a few hours of travel, Kiba announced that it was time to stop. It was still early and the sun was high, but he didn't want to put too much pressure on the pup. Toboe found it amazing how just yesterday Kiba refused to go around the danger because they would lose hours of daylight, and now here he was – stopping their procession when the sun has barely started descending. Admittedly, all three wolves hoped that Tsume and Hige would find them soon, and were willing to go slowly for them.

"I'll hunt," Kiba said. "Watch over Toboe, Collen. Be careful and stay alert." Collen gazed at him agreeably and moved to Toboe's side. She was aware that they were being tracked by the greyhound and hunter, but acknowledged that they needed sustenance – especially the pup, who was going through a healing process. It wasn't safe to separate, but it was necessary.

"Don't go far," Collen cautioned. "We might need you." Kiba acknowledged her with a tilt of his head, then turned and sniffed the wind. Not sensing anything, he moved on from their clearing slowly, trying to find a fresh track that he could follow.

* * *

It was a couple of hours later when Toboe was nudged awake by a wet nose. Collen was hovering over him, her eyes observing him calmly. "Alright there?" she asked quietly. At Toboe's nod, she moved to the side, and he could see the dead warthog that Kiba had dragged over. Kiba was tearing into its side savagely, his muzzle tainted red.

The pup got to his paws lazily and padded over to the food, eyeing his alpha cautiously. When he was ignored, he sniffed the warthog and tore into its flank. Collen soon joined them, and the three wolves feasted for the next half an hour or so. The sun was low on the horizon, and night was approaching from the east. A cool breeze blew through the forest, rustling the branches. It was just a hint of the strong winds that ravaged the forest the night before, but it was cold, wet and unpleasant.

Toboe spent the rest of the evening staring into the dark forest, extending his senses. A few times, he almost fooled himself into sensing his two lost packmates, but they didn't come that night. Had they not been followed by a hunter, he would have called to them, but Kiba insisted that it was too dangerous and would attract unnecessary attention. They weren't out of danger yet.

The separation tore the pup inside, though he tried to mask his fear and hurt. He admired Kiba and Collen, but he looked up to the gray wolf most of all. No one could replace him. Tsume's presence made any ungainly clearing, no matter how cold, feel like home. Though the older wolf was distant, he had heart.

The sky was clear and dark. It looked somehow more black and pure above the forest, far from the city. The stars and crescent moon were brighter and more visible, lightening the night and causing lanky shadows to be cast by the twisting branches overhead. Toboe found it refreshing; a much welcomed calm after the happenings of the previous day and his bizarre dreams. He was exhausted, and the absence of two of his packmates couldn't quite keep him from falling into a fitful sleep.

* * *

Toboe jerked awake with a startled jolt, his ears ringing and his senses on full alert. As he gazed around with wide eyes, he noticed that Kiba and Collen have also leapt to their feet, looking around dazedly. It was still dark and the sounds of the night were still prominent, but the incessant ringing in Toboe's ears and the sudden alertness to which he and his two companions awoke warned him of danger.

A mere few seconds later, he knew what it was that startled him so. A loud _bang_ sounded somewhere ahead and to their left, followed by a loud yelp and a whine. The gunshot left their ears ringing. Distant shouting echoed through the forest.

Had it not been for the distinctly canine sounds coming from the same direction, the three wolves would have beat a hasty retreat. Something inside of them shouted for Hige and Tsume, however, so they leapt into a run and followed the commotion. They heard another gunshot and a series of savage barks and growls, the raw sounds of rage and desperation. As they continued to run, the sounds of a fight eventually died, to be replaced by loud panting as the victors faced the aftermath.

As the three wolves neared the location of the commotion, they slowed down to a quick trot, their bodies moving stealthily through the foliage. As they approached the clearing, the first thing that they noticed was the torn sleeping bag and scattered coals around a pit that used to be a campfire. Not far from the sleeping bag lay the body of a dead hunter, a rifle a few feet away where he dropped it. He wore a brown winter jacket, a matching hat askew on his head. Next to him lay the twisted body of his dog.

Tsume was prowling the shadows, panting, teeth bared. His fur stood on end, his coat torn and matted. Angry gashes and bite marks covered his body; low growls emitted from his throat. Every few moments he would glance at Hige, who was merely sitting on the ground not far away, eyes glazed and trembling.

Tsume snapped around to look at the newcomers, eyes frantic and growling. His body tensed, ready to spring. He didn't seem to recognize them.

"Tsume," Kiba said quietly. "Tsume, Tsume… Tsume." The gray wolf just looked at him for a few moments, gaze uncomprehending. Then his eyes cleared and he slumped to the ground, spent. Toboe rushed to his side hastily, frantic and whimpering. Hige seemed to snap out of his daze by the sudden movement, wide eyes swiveling to look at Toboe. He then looked over at Kiba, who was watching him worriedly.

"Found you," whispered Hige. He chuckled mirthlessly. A violent shudder racked his body, and his eyes came to rest on the ground once again.

"This is pathetic," mumbled Tsume. "After all we've been through, the thing that almost gets us is one lowly dog and her human."

"You're okay, though," whispered Toboe. It sounded like a question, and he eyed the older wolf worriedly. "You're alive." The pup looked like he wanted to say more, but seemed to choke on his words. He swallowed thickly, clenching his jaw.

Tsume paused in his angry mutterings to glance at Toboe, studying the pup carefully. His ears drooped, and he looked distinctly uncomfortable. He looked like he wanted to say something, but instead lowered his head slightly and turned to Kiba. "They were trailing you," he said.

"We were aware," replied the alpha. He paused. Then, "you shouldn't have done that." Tsume looked as if he was expecting this comment, and bared his teeth angrily.

"You think you could've taken them?" he asked. "The bitch would have snapped the runt's neck before you could do anything about it. If not her, then her master."

Collen was glancing between the two as they argued, but finally decided to intervene. "They were protecting us, Kiba," she said.

The white wolf looked like he wanted to argue, but merely sighed with irritation and stalked to Hige's side. After studying him for a moment, he turned to the others and snarled, "we need to move."

No one argued.

* * *

"Paradise," moaned Collen. She looked at the sky with wonder. The dawn was barely breaking the eastern horizon, the atmosphere lightening slightly. Tsume was sitting to the side and nursing his wounds, Toboe not far from him. The pup was studying the older wolf with concern, Tsume blatantly ignoring him and everyone else. Hige was muttering something to Kiba, who looked uncharacteristically irritated with the other wolf and seemed to be biting back retorts.

"Paradise," breathed the she-wolf again. This earned a glance from Kiba.

"Someday," he said. He studied her carefully. "Yes?"

Collen spared Kiba a glance before looking back at the sky. "I've been searching for it for years," she said. The other wolves paused in what they were doing and looked at her interestedly. Collen noticed their attention and chuckled lightly. "It was the life goal of my previous pack," she said. "It's my life goal, as well. That's why they let me join them."

"How did you meet them?" asked Hige.

"Like you, I've met them in a city," replied the she-wolf. After a brief pause, she added hesitantly: "though the circumstances were quite different." A glint entered her eyes, and she glanced at Toboe briefly. Toboe couldn't identify the new emotion that her eyes displayed, but it made him uncomfortable and tense. Tsume was glancing between the two, his features still and thoughtful.

"But you didn't reach it," said Kiba quietly. It wasn't a question.

"No," Collen conceded. "But I've always felt it. I feel it now."

Tsume snorted, and the other wolves turned to him. "I'll be back later," he muttered. He rose to his paws with a grunt and padded into the shadows, stopping and settling on the edge of the others' senses. The other wolves shared a look as Toboe rose hesitantly.

"Awe, leave him alone," Hige scoffed. "He's just brooding." Three sets of eyes swiveled to Toboe, so he sat down meekly and lowered his head. He wanted to follow the gray wolf, but felt that his presence might not be appreciated. Collen came to his side quietly, nudging him with her nose. Her eyes were closed tightly, her sides heaving with each ragged breath. The others looked at her with confusion, not understanding her tenseness. Toboe thought he knew what might be running through her head. A memory.

"I'll get there someday," whispered Collen. Her voice shook slightly. "I will. No matter what."

"We'll get there together," Kiba said firmly. His voice was strong; he sounded so sure of himself. Collen opened one eye to peek at the alpha, studying him carefully.

"Yes," she said. "Whatever it takes." Kiba and Hige accepted her comment, understanding her drive. Toboe, however, felt his heart lurch. He suddenly found it difficult to breathe, and gulped uncomfortably. Her words kept running through his head like a broken cassette.

_I'll get there. Whatever it takes. I'll get there. Whatever it takes. I'LL GET THERE._

Toboe knew that Collen loved him, and cared for the pack. He _knew_ it. So why did he feel so uncomfortable? Why did her words sound so wrong? As he glanced at Kiba and Hige, he realized that they were perfectly content with their conversation. The pup, on the other hand, felt unsettled. His mind kept drifting back to his dreams, his _memories._

Tsume was different. He_felt it, _Toboe was sure. He would have the answers.

With that in mind, the pup rose and spread his senses, searching for the gray wolf. He left the clearing with the she-wolf's gaze on his back.

* * *

Toboe found Tsume overlooking a small valley, persistently licking a gash at his side. The gray wolf paused at Toboe's approach and looked at the pup expectantly. "Do you have something to tell me, Toboe?" The pup was slightly shocked at his enquiry. It appeared that Tsume suspected that he shared some deeper connection with Collen than simply that of a wolf and her pup.

Toboe started out hesitantly, describing the memory that came to him in his delusions. Tsume just listened calmly as he spoke of his previous pack – the male, his mother and the other she-wolf. He told the gray wolf of how they died (or how he suspected they died), and how the she-wolf pulled him from under their killers' noses and ran. He told the gray wolf of how the she-wolf disappeared with the killers of their pack after an unexpected rendezvous, leaving the pup in the care of an old woman.

"To look for Paradise, I think," Toboe said. "She left with them to look for Paradise. I was too young, too weak to join them." The pup caught his breath, lowering his head and looking up to see Tsume's eyes. "She does love me, though. I feel it, which is why I don't understand."

Tsume was quiet, and for a moment Toboe feared that he would either scoff or turn away completely. But he needed him now – he needed Tsume to placate his worries. He continued hastily. "Maybe she needed a pack," he said. "Maybe it was instinct. Maybe she didn't _want_ to leave me."

Tsume scoffed then. He turned bitter, gleaming eyes to Toboe. "It's not an instinct," he said. "The instinct was to protect you. To abandon you was a way of thinking."

Toboe recoiled, shocked. His eyes narrowed. "She loves me," he repeated. "I feel it. She loves me. She really does love me." _She does, she does, she does… say that she does. _Doubt crept into his heart. It wasn't right – he didn't _want_ to doubt Collen. He needed Tsume to agree with him, because Tsume knew best.

"Collen loves you very much," replied the gray wolf. His eyes had softened at Toboe's outburst. He spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. Toboe knew that he would not say something so uncharacteristic unless there was a 'but' involved, and studied the older wolf warily. "But does she love you more than she loves Paradise?"

It was a rhetorical question. The answer was in Collen's own actions: she had left Toboe to look for Paradise. She had betrayed her pack by joining their murderers.

Collen loved Toboe and she cared for the pack, but she was not above abandonment if it meant getting to Paradise. _She'll get there whatever it takes_ – with or without them.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain.

* * *

Chapter Four

Kiba was merciless in the pack's adamant gallop through the country. They moved swiftly and quickly, with little breaks and heavy hearts. They were trying to put as much distance as possible between the human settlement and themselves, knowing that the hunters were likely to respond with a frantic chase after they discovered the dead man and dog. With the hounds, it wouldn't take long for them to track the heavy scent of blood and corpse.

Toboe didn't complain, but his expression and body language was enough to hint at the discomfort that he was experiencing with his injury. His movements were awkward and jagged, though now and then Collen and Hige would chime in with encouragements. "You're doing good, Toboe. Just a little longer." It was the same hour after hour, and Toboe put little value in the 'little longer' part and concentrated on their comforting voices.

He felt weak, dizzy. His paws were trembling under his weight, his side feeling hard and unmoving, throwing his gait. He tried to run by Tsume's side, but the older wolf insistently positioned himself in front of him and right behind the alpha. He seemed moody and unwelcoming. Hige was running by Toboe's side, glancing at him every couple of minutes. Collen was bringing up the rear, shielding the pup from the open forest.

Eventually, Toboe slowed to an awkward lope. Kiba glanced back and yielded, slowing to a walk. He seemed put out and tense, knowing that he could not push the pup any longer without risking worsening his injury. He was throwing cold glances Tsume's way, his irritation with the gray wolf increased by the situation that they were now presented with. He would rather have faced one dog and hunter rather than the vengeful procession that would now be undoubtedly tracking them, this time with a firm goal in mind and unlikely to call off the hunt.

Toboe panted, jaws moving with every gasping breath and eyes trained on the ground. His sides heaved, paws wide-spread for balance and trembling. Collen nuzzled him on the neck, her teeth scratching his thick winter fur in a grooming manner. Hige butted his nose into the pup's side, gazing at him supportively. They kept moving.

The trees became thinner and shrubbier, their canopies lower and not as dense. Dead grass grew in tufts from the ground. Hills were visible ahead, promising a hard trek. It was the last thing that the pack needed with hunters after their hides and an injured pup. They were following a road that was likely connecting the village that they left behind to another city. It wasn't as safe and secure as traveling the wild terrain would have been, but it was easier and helped ease Toboe into a rhythmic gait, not obstructed by any major obstacles. It allowed them to move faster and conserve their strength.

"Tsume?" muttered Toboe. The gray wolf said nothing, but flicked his ear in the pup's direction to show that he was listening. "You okay?"

"Fine," replied Tsume, granting Toboe a slightly baffled glance. He seemed oblivious to the multitude of barely scabbed wounds that covered him. They weren't deep, but they were bound to be painful.

"Does it hurt?"

"It's numb." His voice was slightly defensive, his gaze guarded. Though Toboe knew that his bullet wound stretched deeper than Tsume's skin-deep grazes, he only had one wound. Tsume was covered with them, and he seemed to be going strong and ready to run. Hige was also roughed up, but not quite as much as the gray wolf, who had lead the fight with the dog and hunter. Toboe felt weak, holding the pack back from running, and thus putting a safe distance between themselves and their pursuers. He gritted his teeth. It hurt to be the weakest link.

"Well good," Kiba snapped, unable to hold back his contempt. "It'll need to be numb when it's time to fight off those mutts when they reach us. And better yet, dancing away from the hundreds of bullets that will go your way."

Tsume's fur stood on end. An enraged growl erupted from his chest. It sent chilling vibrations down Toboe's spine, though Kiba responded with like aggression. His lip curled back, eyes glazed with warning. Tsume's response was perceived as a challenge to his position as alpha.

Collen quickly closed her jaws over Toboe's scuff and she drug him back hastily, away from the two wolves. Hige quickly followed, ears and tail drooping and eyes wary. The two growling canines didn't seem to notice, focused only on each others' eyes. Both their tails stood on end, ears pressed flat against their skulls and fangs gleaming. Toboe whimpered with alarm.

Kiba stepped closer to the gray wolf, snapping his jaws threateningly. His eyes were calculating and intense, though filled with energy and fury. It was a warning to back off and acknowledge him as boss.

Tsume was tense, teeth grinding. His muscles were taught, visible under the dirty, bloodied fur and scabbed skin. He stood like this for a few moments, unmoving, before he lowered his tail and head. He calmed and submitted, but didn't whine and cower. He turned his gaze to the ground grudgingly. With the wounds that he had sustained, it wouldn't be wise to challenge the alpha.

Kiba snapped his jaws again, close to Tsume's throat, and his growl intensified. It was a warning against insubordination, demanding complete submission. Tsume didn't grant it, but instead backed off a few meters away from the other wolf and away from the conflict. Though not completely satisfied, Kiba deemed it good enough for the time being. A fight now might result in further injury or reopening of Tsume's wounds, and that was the last thing that they needed right now. When he turned back to continue walking, Tsume cast him a cold glance.

"You can't deny that this is your fault," Kiba said flatly. "You killed that hunter. Now, the rest of them are out to kill us." Tsume didn't answer, but didn't show any signs of aggression. He seemed cold, passive. Almost uncaring.

Hige whimpered. "I'm sorry, Kiba. I didn't think." He was, after all, partly at fault.

"No, but you obeyed," replied the alpha. "As was your duty." He was gentler, almost consoling. It was clear with whom he placed the blame. Hige deflated and relaxed.

"Kiba," said Collen. "We mustn't forget Quent. He's bound to realize that we are heading towards the city." She purposely changed the subject and brought the attention back to their main problem – surviving the next couple of days.

"Which is why we shan't stay long," said that white wolf. "Get in, regain our strength and heal, and get out. If we wait too long, we will be stuck in the city when the hounds catch up with us and start patrolling on the outside. Quent will track us inside. We can't linger."

When he put it that way, Toboe realized, their situation sounded quite dire. They wouldn't be able to outrun the hunters with all their injuries, even with a few days' head start. They were severely disadvantaged, though it was still a hope that Blue's injury would put Quent off of their tracks for a little while. In the face of the other hunters after them, it was little consolation.

Tsume didn't join the conversation, but cast them a strange look. Toboe couldn't quite determine what it meant, but it occurred to him that the gray wolf might have been somewhat hurt by Kiba's blunt rejection. As he pointed out earlier, he was protecting them. Had the hunter and hound decided to attack the separated trio, Toboe would have proved to be an easy and the most vulnerable target. The consequence of Tsume's actions had possibly worsened their situation in the long run, giving the hunters a reason to hate them and persistently track them, but the intention was to protect. For that, Toboe was grateful. He made it a point to walk next to the gray wolf, quietly showing his appreciation and support. Tsume cast him an unreadable glance from the corner of his eye, but didn't speed up or move away.

The five wolves trekked in a similar manner for the rest of the day, the wind changing and carrying an unpleasant smell to their senses. They were approaching the city. The freshness of the wilderness seemed to fade away as the air became heavier and the stench more potent.

* * *

As dusk settled over the earth, the wolves could finally see the looming city grow closer and closer. Kiba decided to enter it tonight, and find shelter away from the wind. They would move in as wolves, and when the sun rose they would emerge as humans and drift into the city life.

The streets were mostly empty, but rowdy music could be heard emerging from a select few streets. In some of the alleys, drunks and homeless people slept and groaned. The wolves separated, keeping each other well within their sensory ranges and simply moving down parallel streets in the same direction. As they all drifted apart from each other, Toboe found himself following Tsume. He didn't seem to mind and instead kept a close watch on the pup, pausing every time the other lagged behind. It would have been unwise to move as a pack, as it would gain unwanted attention. As it was, Kiba especially was in danger of evoking someone's interest, for his coloring and thick fur made him stand out even in the dark as few dogs would.

A series of short howls and yelps came from ahead. Hige was calling the pack to a possible shelter, and the two wolves trotted lightly in that direction. They emerged on a back street behind an old building, where the rest of the pack was already gathered around a basement entrance. There were no doors and the inside seemed to be rather damp due to the stoic air. Because it could not be locked and protected this would not have made a secure storage area, and sure enough, it was mostly empty. A few crates that spelled of damp cloth and mold were stacked in a corner, but it was obviously abandoned. Furthermore, no doors meant that the pack could not be locked in if someone discovered them.

"Only one possible exit," Collen mused. "Is this wise?"

"It'll do for today," replied Kiba. "We're here for one night. If we need to remain in this city longer, we'll be able to find better shelter when it's light and we're rested."

"I'll keep watch," Tsume said. As he started for the stairs, however, Kiba stopped him.

"You're injured," he said. "Rest." He was curt and blunt, but Toboe felt a sense of pride for being under his protection. Despite his disagreement with Tsume, he still acted in the interest of his packmates. Kiba made his way up the stairs and settled on guard duty. Later in the night Collen would replace him, and then Hige.

Tsume grunted but didn't argue, and settled himself next to a wall. Toboe soon joined him, and then Collen and Hige. The gray wolf seemed slightly disgruntled with the company, and shifted, turning his back to the others.

* * *

The sun rose and the city shadows darkened and elongated. The five wolves emerged from the basement with their illusions firmly in place. Toboe limped slightly next to Tsume's side, Collen walking on the pup's other side. She was a tall woman, broad-shouldered and with sharp features. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, a few gray strands streaking through it. She looked sure and intimidating, shadowing the presence of the boy next to her protectively.

Tsume's illusion clearly bore the wounds that the fur on his wolf self helped to shield. Toboe was discontented to note that besides the deep gashes that the dog's sharp canines inflicted on him, his body and face was also littered with smaller scratches. Most of the scratches looked to be healing well, but their appearance hinted that Tsume was hurt worse than anticipated. Even Kiba was sending him contemplative looks, thoughtfully examining the damage.

Hige touched the other wolf's shoulder lightly. "Tsume," he said carefully. "You okay?" Tsume raised an eyebrow and shrugged his hand off, giving a curt nod. His expression seemed to suggest that it was a stupid and unimportant question, and Hige reddened slightly.

"Right," said Kiba, bringing everyone's attention back to the task at hand. "Hige and Collen, find food. Tsume and Toboe, look for shelter and stay there, regain your strength. Make sure there's more than one escape route. I'll get healing supplies. Meet at the basement at midday and try not to draw too much attention." Tsume scowled, displeased, but he didn't argue. As everyone started off on their assigned tasks, Kiba called to Tsume as an afterthought. "Any trouble, call us. Don't ignore your injuries and don't take on anything you can't handle." He looked concerned and thoughtful, eyeing the gray wolf and pup as if assessing their injuries again. Toboe grinned and waved back, Hige returning the wave enthusiastically. He seemed more than satisfied with his mission.

As they moved off, Toboe noticed Collen looking after him. She seemed hesitant to leave him, but gritted her teeth and moved off. It was a definite instinct that a she-wolf would have towards a pup, but he didn't know what to think of it. Should he be pleased that she so obviously cared? Should he be bitter that she didn't care enough to stick by him when he was younger and actually needed her? He put the thoughts aside. Kiba definitely acknowledged this, but he also realized that Toboe was at an age where he no longer needed a mother. He was at an age where a wolf usually left his old pack and roamed alone, looking for a mate to start his own pack with.

"Toboe," said Tsume sharply, snapping him out of his thoughts. When he had the pup's attention, he continued. "Let's go."

* * *

The duo roamed the city for hours, looking for an adequate shelter. Tsume seemed very picky, examining every possibility and trying to catch any hint that it might be in use. Whether it was visited by a homeless person, a gang, drug dealers – anyone or everyone – he scented them and they immediately moved on and looked for another place. In the end, their search brought them to the outskirts of the city – a junk yard. There, Tsume spotted an old, rusted truck, probably used to move fairly large items like furniture. It was long and fairly spacious. The doors at the end opened and closed freely, and the rusted metal wall at the other end was ripped and bent to form another exit. Tsume bolted the door closed from the inside to form an enclosed space, shielded from the wind.

The truck was empty, the metal floor and walls cold and unwelcoming. Tsume searched through the junkyard and ripped floor mats from other cars, tossing them into the truck where Toboe spread them over the floor. The cold still seeped up from the floor, but the mats helped shield the blunt of it.

The two wolves lingered there for another few hours, simply resting. Tsume had his eyes closed and his hands supporting his head. Toboe watched him tiredly for a while, simply happy to observe the older wolf and drawing comfort from his presence. He eventually fell asleep, and after what felt like seconds Tsume was shaking him awake.

"Midday," said the older wolf. "It's time to move."

Toboe nodded and stretched, getting to his feet. He pressed his hand to his side and massaged the muscle, slight pain spreading through his side as he felt the wound. It made its way to his hip and he groaned inwardly, though he tried not to show it to Tsume. He wanted the other wolf's respect, and demonstrating such tiredness and weakness was not the way to gain it.

Kiba was the only one at the basement when the two wolves arrived. In his hands were his findings, wrapped in an old blanket. He nodded to Tsume and Toboe and sniffed the wind, trying to catch scent of Hige and Collen. He frowned when he didn't feel them approaching.

The threesome waited for approximately forty minutes before they decided to look for their lost companions. They prowled the city together, sniffing for any sign of the other two. "Just what we need," Kiba commented. "To be separated again. It's not safe." The scent of Hige and Collen lingered in certain areas of the city, but it was barely tangible through the layers of other city smells. Smells of car fumes, restaurants, people and animals all disrupted the trail.

"We can call to them," Toboe suggested. The alpha, however, hastily shot down this suggestion, and Tsume seemed to agree. The day was still relatively young, and people would wonder. Dogs generally didn't howl at times like these. Furthermore, their hunters might be significantly closer than the previous day, and a howl would certainly alert them to the wolves' presence. Even though other citizens might not know the significance of a howl, hunters (especially those that work with dogs in their practice) would recognize it as a form of communication between packmates.

Toboe noted that Kiba looked somewhat worried and irritated, while Tsume looked annoyed. They only hoped that Hige and Collen would have the same foresight to keep quiet, though they were fairly confident that Collen at least understood the importance of keeping their presence as hushed as possible.

The three wolves decided to retreat to the shelter that Tsume and Toboe discovered and wait for a while, hoping that Hige would be able to track them with his superior scenting abilities.

When they entered the shelter that Tsume and Toboe prepared, Kiba settled down and unrolled the blanket. Nestled inside were a couple of containers and rolls of bandages, as well as a few bottles of water. He applied these to Toboe's wound, bandaging his side after applying the ointment. When asked how he managed to get these, Kiba simply winked and smiled. It was enough to tell the pup that his alpha probably broke into someone's empty house and raided their cupboards.

Tsume was treating his own wounds, refusing any offers of help from the pup and the alpha. Kiba just shrugged and turned away, having expected this reaction. Toboe frowned unhappily and watched as the gray wolf took care of himself, reaching behind himself awkwardly to get the wounds on his back.

An hour passed, and the three wolves were quickly alerted to the presence of their two packmates. Kiba stalked outside and snarled at the approaching duo, all the while eyeing them with sharp eyes whilst trying to find any sign of injury. The two approached him with lowered eyes, looking slightly guilty. Collen turned her head to the side and observed Hige sharply, as if encouraging him to start talking.

Hige whined. "Oh fine, fine," he muttered. He looked at Kiba. "It's my fault. I lost track of time."

Collen sighed tiredly, as if knowing that he would say something like this and not provide a valid explanation. "There wasn't much to be found in dumpsters. The homeless got most of that. Hige insisted on finding a nice restaurant to raid."

"And it paid off," added the other wolf quickly. "We got meat."

Sure enough, both wolves held a couple of plastic bags full of meat. Tsume sniffed it warily and his eyes glinted with something disturbing. "Deer," he scowled. "Those hunters do business here."

Kiba nodded gravely. "We move tomorrow morning. Today, we rest and heal." The other wolves quickly agreed and trudged into the shelter. It was evening, though there were still a few hours of daylight. Nevertheless, the pack settled down in the truck and rested to regain their strength. Tomorrow they would run again. They had to be ready for the hills and the open grounds. They had to be ready for the danger.

* * *

Bad luck followed them, Toboe was convinced. Collen insisted that it was simply life; more accurately, the absence of good luck. She said that the best way to reverse this would be to stop being so negative. Hige and Tsume scoffed in response. Hige was not fond of philosophy, and Tsume (as Collen later whispered to the pup) was not fond of being positive.

A gang was prowling through the junkyard. They were yelling incoherently and laughing uproariously. There were at least twenty. The sun hasn't even risen yet, and the sky was not lightening with any hint of dawn. It was a dark night. Kiba growled quietly under his breath and eyed the other wolves. "Everyone ready?"

The wolves rose to their paws, wide awake. It was fortunate that they went to sleep during the day earlier, and thus were relatively rested and wide awake.

Kiba lead the pack from the truck warily, creeping and staying in the shadows. The junk provided some shelter, but the gang seemed to be spread over the area. They were climbing on the cars and collecting bits and pieces that interested them into bags that each man (and a few women) carried.

The wolves crept through the junkyard slowly, ears swiveling in every direction in an attempt to locate the safest passage to safety. However, things were not so easy.

A teenager rounded the corner of another vehicle and froze in his tracks at the sight of the five massive canines. In one of his hands was a black garbage bag, and in another a chipped old cane. His eyes were wide and unbelieving as he slowly backed off, retracing his steps backwards and (almost comically) rounding the corner of the vehicle again and disappearing from view. A moment later, a call echoed.

"Guys! Guys, there's lotsa dogs over here! They're _huge!_ Come an' see!"

The five wolves didn't pause to consider and bolted. They made their way around the junk and leaped over certain bits and pieces, trying to get away from the surrounding humans. Gasps echoed from around them, a disbelieving whistle sounded somewhere from the right. Someone threw a rock at them that bounced off the roof of a car with a loud _clang._ The shouts rose in volume as the wolves quickly exited from the junkyard and emerged into the main city, and continued running until the sounds behind them faded away. They ran for tens of blocks, rounding multiple corners and moving from street to street.

They emerged on another side of the city and left it quickly, leaving the towering buildings and humans behind. Eventually they slowed their gait to a comfortable run and wordlessly traveled the plains for another half an hour before Kiba finally stopped them. The wolves gazed at each other with sharp eyes, observing and looking for injuries.

"Alright there?" Asked Kiba, gazing around. When everyone confirmed that they were fine, the pack of five continued their travel in a more leisurely pace. It was still dark, but as they were already out of the city, it was better to put some distance between them. They were still a little frazzled from the rude awakening.

As his adrenaline settled, Toboe found his eyes to be drooping again. The other wolves seemed to share his sentiment, and after about an hour and a good few miles, Kiba finally called a stop. They were in the process of ascending a wide hill, covered in shrubs and relatively tall grass. It was not easy going, as there was no road to follow and they had to pick their way through the wilderness. They settled down on one side of a thick shrub, letting it shield them from the wind. There were still a couple of hours until sunrise.

* * *

In the morning, Toboe found that the bandage around his middle had loosened over the night. His side felt somewhat better from being tightly bound for a while, and from the relatively lengthy rest that rejuvenated his body. Tsume seemed to feel the same way as he stretched leisurely. Kiba was watching him with satisfaction, glad that they could finally increase their pace and hopefully put some distance between themselves and the hunters, as well as get closer to the mountains that were hiding in the mist.

Hige ruffled Toboe's scruff playfully and trotted after the alpha. The pup was happy to note that Tsume allowed him to walk by his side again, and joined him gladly. Collen took her place at the back of the procession, watching over Toboe quietly.

Eventually, the wolves reached the top of the hill and quickly started descending on the other side. Kiba tried to guide them around the hill crests where possible, trying his best to prevent them from being seen by anyone who may be looking. Their pace was steady and they covered significant ground with little breaks, and Toboe noted that the alpha seemed satisfied with their progress. Consequently, his anger at the gray wolf seemed to cool for the time being. He knew that he couldn't hold on to it forever and simply continue blaming Tsume. It wouldn't achieve anything besides tearing the pack apart from the inside.

Toboe could feel Collen's gaze on his back. He knew that he wasn't spending as much time with her as he used to, and wasn't as welcoming toward her motherly attentions. Instead he was seeking similar comfort in Tsume, and was satisfied simply with being in his presence. After the nerve-wracking separation a few days ago, he was even more attached to the older wolf. Tsume didn't seem to mind, though it was hard to tell as his attitude hardly changed. Admittedly, he seemed more tolerant of the pup.

The pack was caught in their mission, wishing to move forward toward the mountains and the lunar scent but unable to go back either way. Their pursuers urged them to hurry to the best of their abilities, though the injuries of a few of their packmates posed an obstacle that lingered at the back of their minds. Toboe was trying not to appear weak, and Tsume was succeeding in doing so. Hige was more or less healed, having only sustained minor injuries in the scuffle.

The terrain was mostly bare besides grass and shrubs, and offered little protection while at the same time providing great visibility (which was both advantageous and disadvantageous in various ways). The mountains were much closer, their white caps reflecting the glaring sun. Their slopes were mostly forested, though there were patches of bare rock where it was too steep or the ground was too hard to sustain trees.

Their goal was in sight, though reaching the mountains was only part of it. As far as the wolves knew, they may have to cross them and travel beyond. Wherever the scent would guide them.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain.

* * *

Chapter Five

The tumbling plains gave way to rocky hills, making travel more difficult with their weaving tracks. It wasn't as windy here, but the still air was cold and unforgiving. It made Toboe feel lightheaded, as if the icy silence that hovered over the hills was some kind of omen. As he looked up at the mountains that loomed ahead, he saw the same illusion that had grasped him days prior – the tumbling snow and rock enclosing them in an eternal cold grave. The mountain caps swayed and beckoned.

A whisper of a growl emerged from a wolf that traveled not far ahead. Hige was sniffing the air, huffing slightly as if it burned his nose. "Cat," he whispered. "More than one." The pack came closer together, hoping that their significant number could scare off any potential challengers. The wolves were intruding on their territory, however, and it was doubtful that the great felines that lived here would let this slide lightly.

Sure enough, a gaze of molten silver followed their progression with a terrifying intensity. A swift shadow moved from rock to rock, expertly choosing a comfortable alcove to land on with every graceful leap. Its great paws were soundless, its movement perfected by nature to dominate any creature that stepped onto such terrain. The wolves snarled at their stalker's shadow, just as another one joined the first.

Two great snow leopards crouched overhead, their claws digging into the rock. Their lips were pulled back, exposed gleaming fangs even as their eyes remained calculating and trained on the intruders. They were bigger and stronger than the canines that traversed below them. Though the numbers might have put them at a disadvantage, the rocky terrain in which this confrontation would take place was their natural habitat. The knew their territory like no other.

Just as one wolf strayed lightly to the side, slightly away from the rest, one cat took advantage of this opportunity and leaped down onto his back. Its massive paws clutched at the wolf's sides, bringing Hige down onto the hard ground. Its jaws were seeking his throat.

Collen quickly jumped in to help her packmate, snarling, fur standing on end. Her great size made the cat wary, so it quickly leapt up and turned its attention to the she-wolf. The alpha and gray wolf were busy with the second cat, Toboe trying to aid them even as his eyes filled with fear.

The other feline, however, seemed uninterested in these three wolves. Intending to finish what its companion started, it leapt onto Hige with one great bound. They slid on the earth, barks and growls emerging as they fought for domination. A few seconds passed with their fury echoing throughout the hills, and then a wrenching _crack _sounded from below them. The ground fell away with a great wave of mist, cracking beneath their paws. The snow leopard pushed off of the ice as best as it could, clumsily landing on hard ground. The cats then quickly abandoned their mission and jumped onto a rocky ledge above, watching interestedly as the wolves scrambled to their flailing companion.

Hige was gasping for breath desperately, eyes wild as the freezing water engulfed him. Every time he placed his paws on the ice that surrounded him and tried to pull himself out, it fell away beneath his weight. His heavy, wet fur seemed to be dragging him under. He didn't have the energy to moan or whimper, only persisting with his vigil even as it crumbled beneath him. His muzzle was covered with tiny ice particles, the moisture on the corners of his eyes and nose having frozen as well.

The other wolves watched warily, trying to slide closer on their bellies to aid their drowning packmate. Whispery cracks appeared beneath them every time they got near, the ice having been weakened by the hole that held Hige captive. They leaped away quickly to avoid ending up in the same situation.

Toboe whined and whimpered; Tsume and Collen prowled in circles around the scene. Every now and then, they would try again, only to scramble back as the ice fell away. As Hige's struggles continued to get weaker, however, Kiba finally decided to take a chance. He slid closer to the other wolf on his belly, trying to distribute his weight over the ground as evenly as possible. Cracks appeared beneath him, but he persisted. When he got close enough, he grasped Hige by the scruff, desperately trying to tug him onto the ice. He braced himself, paws scrambling for purchase even as he slid. His back paw was submerged in water. The ice crumbled, and he fell into the water beneath.

The other three wolves snarled desperately, watching with baited breath as Kiba disappeared beneath the water completely. Hige was still trying to push himself out, the ice dispersing beneath him with a horrible hiss. The alpha finally reappeared after a few seconds, struggling weakly as the cold wreaked his body. His muscles were lax and unresponsive, the shock of the sudden drop in temperature and the churning water affecting his ability to move and sapping his strength. Both wolves panted quietly. They were completely focused on getting of this predicament, continually trying to pull themselves out even as the ice broke with every attempt, dispersing in the water like a horrible symbolism of their waning strength.

"This way!" Collen shouted desperately. She was standing between the struggling wolves and the closest rocky bank. "Come this way!"

Kiba and Hige obeyed, changing their direction and moving towards her. The ice broke before them, misting the air and obstructing their vision. They were visibly weakening, being dragged down, and yet they struggled on. Toboe and Tsume walked by their side, not getting too close in fear of ending up in the same predicament.

The minutes ticked by, and finally it was clear that Kiba and Hige were no longer swimming, but walking through the water. Tsume jumped in, his paws finding purchase on the rock as he waded towards them. He grasped Hige by his fur, dragging him closer towards the bank even as the other's movements slowed and his eyes drooped. Collen followed his lead and aided Kiba.

They finally made it to the bank and dragged out the two barely conscious wolves. Tsume and Collen were dripping and panting as well, their breaths misting before their eyes. They settled next to the two wolves and lent their body heat. Toboe soon joined them, ears pressed back and tail drooping.

Just as they settled, Tsume growled and scrambled to his paws again. His eyes scanned the rock above them, looking for any sign of the cats. They were nowhere to be seen. Collen and Toboe watched the gray wolf attentively as he glanced back at them. "I'll keep watch," said Tsume.

"But Tsume," Toboe protested. "Look at you!" The gray wolf was still wet, tufts of his fur having been frozen by the icy wind. His eyes portrayed his exhaustion. His paws trembled beneath him. "Rest," said the pup. "_I'll _keep watch." Tsume looked like he was about to argue, but his paws folded underneath his weight. His eyes closed in exhausted sleep. Collen was already asleep beside the other two wolves.

Toboe watched them closely. All four of his packmates were unconscious, severely weakened by the ordeal. He swallowed slightly and tilted his head, sniffing the air. It smelt slightly of the cats, this being their territory. Toboe wondered if they would come back to chase them out, and shuddered.

Hours passed in this manner, Toboe struggling to stay awake. All was quiet, the clouds moving far above them on the high winds. Patches of grass swayed in the breeze. He seemed to be drifting in a daze, dreaming and hallucinating even though he was still somewhat awake. The rhythmic breathing of the other wolves lulled him into a somewhat meditative state, tiredness clouding his mind. Whispers of memories sounded in his ears – Granny's call, the crows' mocking laughter, the dieing cry of a falcon even as he let out a mournful howl over its still form. The sharp clinking of a rock as it tumbled off of a high alcove and hit ice, a soft thump following in its wake as a lithe animal joined it before the pup's still form.

The world quickly snapped into focus as his senses alerted them to the presence of a cat. It was a little while past midday. The sun shone off of the long white coat of the snow leopard that stood before them.

She wasn't particularly large for a snow leopard, but was still considerably bigger than Toboe. Her paws were great and heavy, black claws gleaming in the light. Her jaws were slightly open, the tips of her fangs visible. Her silver eyes studied the wolves closely, focusing on Toboe. Her eyes met those of the pup and she curled her lip, showing her fangs threateningly. The long tail swished lightly behind her. Its tip was curled so as not to brush the ground.

Toboe scrambled to his paws, lowering his head and looking up at the cat. His tail drooped submissively. The cat obviously understood the gesture, but persistently stalked closer to her quarry. The pup whimpered slightly, as if begging her to not come any closer. His request went unheeded, though the cat did seem to gain more confidence at his submission. She adopted a more hostile stance, as if trying to scare him away.

Toboe didn't budge. He realized that she wouldn't simply leave them alone. She wanted the wolves off of her territory, but the pack wasn't able to move right then. She would either chase them off or hurt them. The pup snarled, fearful of the impending fight though determined to keep her at bay.

Angered, the feline returned the gesture. She arched her back, her tail swishing rapidly. Her eyes were cold and sharp. Her teeth looked like daggers, designed to shred meat. Without a second of hesitation, she leaped onto Toboe. The wolf yelped and growled, positioning himself so as to protect his throat. Even as her paws slammed him to the ground, knocking out his breath and claws digging into his skin, Toboe arched his neck and bit into her shoulder. The cat yowled and hissed, twisting awkwardly to lift a paw and press it against his neck, trying to get him off. Toboe felt her skin tear beneath his fangs as he was pushed aside, leaving long, bloody gashes on her beautiful coat.

The feline ignored her pain and continued pressing into his throat, pushing him against the ground with suffocating force. Toboe snapped his jaws and tried to bite her, but could barely move. His own thin paws pushed against her powerful frame, but she didn't budge.

Toboe's gaze blurred as he suffocated, but he opened his eyes enough to see those two molten silver eyes staring at him from above. He lifted one paw and slammed it over those eyes, shoving aside her muzzle and gleaming fangs. The pressure on his throat weakened for a second and he breathed in desperately, but then the pressure was back with a breaking force. The world faded.

* * *

Toboe came to at the feel of a muzzle probing his side. He opened his bleary eyes to find a gray form hovering over him. It was somewhat out-of-focus, but Tsume's scent alerted his senses. The gray wolf was observing him quietly.

Toboe's eyes widened and he gazed around, finding Kiba and Hige still sleeping in the same positions. His nose picked up the unmistakable tinge of blood. The rock before him was covered in it, small puddles forming the aftermath of a gruesome battle. Clumps of matted white fur were scattered over the area. Collen was standing not far off, gazing upwards at the ledges above them. As he gazed back at Tsume, Toboe discovered that the gray wolf was once again covered in blood, both from reopened wounds and from new ones. The pup's eyes widened in horror.

"Don't look at me like that," snapped the gray wolf reproachfully. Than, a little softer: "You did good." He almost stumbled over the phrase, looking a little awkward.

"Tsume," the pup whispered. "Are you… are you…" He couldn't seem to finish the sentence, and the gray wolf sighed.

"They shouldn't bother us anymore. We conquered them." The gray wolf came to his side and collapsed heavily. He put his head on his paws, absently licking away the blood that covered his muzzle. "Now rest." His own eyes closed as his consciousness slipped away.

Toboe whimpered. He huddled next to the gray wolf and started licking his wounds carefully. His throat felt stuffed and it hurt to swallow, but he persisted. The taste of blood, normally associated with food, now felt like poison on his tongue. A few minutes later, just as the sun began to dip beneath the horizon, Collen joined them. She pressed her muzzle to the pup's side for a few moments and closed her eyes, before helping him clean the gray wolf's wounds. Her eyes were somewhat bleary, and it was obvious that she had just recently awoken and had not participated in the fight.

"Rest, Toboe," she whispered. "I'll keep watch." The pup surrendered himself to sleep.

* * *

The next morning the wolves sat together quietly and evaluated their situation. Kiba and Hige were more or less fine, though tiredness was still evident in their postures. Collen was ready to travel, but Toboe's throat still hurt persistently. His bullet wound, though still there, was not much of a problem anymore. Tsume, on the other hand, was evidently hurt. Most of his wounds consisted of torn skin and weren't very deep, but they were numerous.

The wolves traveled only for a couple of hours, their main goal being to get onto safer territory. They eventually come upon a comfortable, shielded clearing. They decided to stop there for the rest of the day and regain their strength. Collen, who was somewhat tired but fared better than the other wolves, left to hunt. Approximately two hours later she dragged over a mountain goat, its throat having been torn out savagely. Its curved horns clanked against the rocky ground, open eyes glazed and unseeing. The wolves tore into its side to sate their hunger.

"Kiba," Hige ventured. "Thanks. For the… you know. Taking the plunge for me." He paused for a moment, eyes glinting. "Literally." The alpha shuddered slightly at the memory but nodded.

"It was stupid," Tsume grumbled from the side. "An unnecessary risk." Hige just shook his head in the gray wolf's direction but didn't comment, appreciative to him as well for chasing off the cat that would have otherwise ripped them to shreds. If Toboe was attached to the gray wolf before, he now stuck to him like glue. Collen was somewhat disgruntled by this fact but struggled not to show it, though she sometimes approached the pup and nuzzled him caringly.

Kiba seemed to get over his anger for Tsume, finally recognizing the rare bouts of sometimes unnecessary actions (slaughtering the hunter) as unshielded acts of protective instinct. He didn't particularly appreciate it as Toboe did, but he understood. Nevertheless, he snorted lightly at Tsume's last comment. "Now you realize what I've been trying to tell you."

Tsume watched Kiba with a steely gaze for a few moments before turning away.

"There's bound to be more cats around here," Collen said, breaking the silence. "We have to tread carefully and feel for their territories." The other wolves nodded agreeably, not eager to repeat the experience.

As the day drew to a close, the wolves settled down to sleep. Tsume was slightly off to the side, as always. Toboe joined him quietly. "Tsume?" he whispered. One ear swiveled in his direction. "It almost killed me, didn't it?" The gray wolf didn't say anything, only sighed. Toboe stood there for a few moments, but eventually curled up at his side to sleep. Later in the night, Collen joined them.

* * *

The next morning downed bright and clear. Kiba seemed irritated and eager to move off, sniffing the wind constantly. When Hige asked, the alpha simply informed that they had lost too much time. They were slowing and losing their few days' advantage over the hunters. With that in mind, they set off quickly and with desperate agility. Tsume seemed to be struggling, tiring quickly, his jaw always clenched and eyes focused but pained. Though he didn't complain and toughed it out silently, Kiba often stopped their procession for short breaks for the other's sake. Despite this, even the gray wolf seemed more eager than usual to cover some ground that day, understanding their predicament

"I can feel them, you know," Hige whispered a few hours into their travel. "I can feel that we're being tracked, even if I don't smell them yet."

"That's because we're upwind," Kiba replied. "But they can probably smell us." This thought spurred them on. Even as tiredness made their movements more sluggish and clumsy, Toboe often tripping over the rough terrain, they kept at a steady pace. They toyed with the idea that the hunters would abandon their vengeful chase once the wolves reached the mountains, deeming the going and risk associated with crossing the dangerous territory too high to continue their vigil. It was a hope, but one that the wolves refused to depend on. Kiba wanted to ensure their safety completely, and that meant having a more long-term goal than simply reaching the mountains. Whether or not the hunters would follow was too high of a gamble. Thus, they pressed on.

The sweet aroma of the lunar flower hovered over the rocky hills, faint but there. It was almost like a drug, stroking the senses pleasurably and promising life and rest. They inhaled it greedily.

With a few hours of sunlight still ahead, Tsume's exhaustion finally showed through his indifferent exterior. He stumbled lightly and careened into Toboe, who was walking by his side. The pup yelped and gazed at him with a slightly panicked look, noting the dazed expression and unfocused eyes. Kiba backtracked from the front of the pack and gazed at the gray wolf, who was swaying on his paws lightly and didn't seem to notice him. The white wolf prodded him with his muzzle and sighed. "Rest."

Tsume's coat was stained with dry copper blood, though his wounds were lightly scabbed. Toboe settled next to him and started licking them again, hoping to accelerate the healing process. Kiba was watching silently from not too far away. "Full moon tonight. We'll travel some more than. For now, rest and regain your strength." Tsume watched him quietly, a spark of irritation in his eyes. He hated to be the one slowing everyone down, being the weakest. Toboe knew it wasn't so – the gray wolf sacrificed his health to fight the snow leopard, and in return the pack owed him this amnesty. At the same time, he looked to the sky eagerly, wishing the sun to set so that the moon could come and soothe the gray wolf's pain with its dim light.

* * *

It was a cold night, but the wolves didn't care. They didn't need warmth when they had the moon. They forgot their exhaustion and ran at their full speed, not to cover more ground but to express the exhilaration of their unburdened hearts. Unburdened only for this one night, and it was enough to set them free. Toboe watched Tsume as he ran and leaped, over rocks and crevices and any other obstacles, as if he had wings. His wounds, basked in the moonlight, didn't seem to bother him at all. They didn't reopen and didn't bleed. Slowly, they were healing. The dry blood on his fur glinted in its strange swiveling patterns, like paint forming tribal markings. It was a savage dance, the gray wolf's emotions unbridled and free. It showed.

Toboe howled and yelped, ran and jumped and played. Hige joined him, yipping and snarling playfully. The wolves were completely focused on each other, basking in the feeling of being a pack, being whole. For a long time they lived with humans, and _those_ full moons were never quite this magical. The rough terrain that previously slowed them down was now a source of excitement, letting them leap from ledge to ledge and tumble playfully. Every time they jumped from a high alcove they felt like they were soaring, and they jumped often, welcoming the unrestrained freedom that it created.

Collen joined Toboe in his song, hers being more deep and long. It was a happy sound, welcoming the moon, but carried a mourning undertone. _We used to howl so happily when we were younger and together,_ Toboe thought to himself. _Is that the sound of your regret?_ He turned to Tsume and observed him, entranced. The gray wolf didn't howl and didn't make a sound, but instead basked in the silence of his soul and the soaring of his spirit. The pup looked up at the sky and barked loudly and freely, voicing his thanks to the moon.

When morning finally dawned and the moon slipped away for another day, after which she would emerge not whole for another month, the wolves finally settled in a shielded alcove that consisted of two great slabs of rock leaning against each other. They rested their paws and allowed their spirits to calm, drawn back to the reality of their situation. Pressure settled over them again, as well as a sense of purpose.

"Sooo-" Hige began. Tsume groaned quietly, expecting something stupid to emerge from his mouth. Hige glared back.

"We put in quite a good distance, didn't we?" Collen said, looking at the brightening sky. Kiba hummed appreciatively and allowed his eyes to drift shut.

"How are you, Tsume?" ventured Toboe. Tsume looked at him and flicked his tail. He looked pleased. Nothing needed to be said.

Kiba cocked his head to the side. "Told you the moon would take care of it," he muttered, eyes glinting. Toboe noted appreciatively that his throat was no longer sore, and his side was practically healed. All that was left of the bullet graze were two small white scars under his fur – one where the bullet entered his body and the other where it exited. Tsume was also covered in fading scars, though a few of his larger wounds were still there. They were significantly reduced and almost healed, but still scabbed. His fur still carried a tang of blood.

The wolves succumbed to sleep. The moon left them feeling rejuvenated, but a few hours of rest after staying up all night would do no harm. After this, they would set out for another tiring day of travel. They had traveled a significant distance during the night that put some of the pressure off, but the fact was that they were still hunted. It wouldn't do to lose their advantage.

Whilst observing his resting packmates, Toboe noticed Collen watching him. She didn't look away as he met her gaze but looked thoughtful, almost wondering. A brief curiosity settled over Toboe as he remembered her howl, a message that he couldn't quite interpret. It was still resounding in the back of his mind. Her familiar scent stirred his senses and his ears drooped with sadness, or perhaps hurt. It didn't much matter anymore. He wasn't as young as he used to be and no longer depended on her as he did in the time of her desertion, and she… he didn't know how she felt about all this. He didn't know whether she regretted it or not. The pack that she had abandoned him for had later abandoned her, and she found her way back into his life. His new pack's life, though only Tsume knew that story as deep as Toboe himself.

Toboe also wondered at the pack that had left her behind, injured. Wolves were rare animals now, and to leave one behind to certain death carried a consequence. She had told them that she was injured when two wolves attacked her for rank and thus left behind, and Toboe didn't doubt her story at the time. Now, after all that his pack had gone through to aid their own injured, his curiosity was piqued. Then, he remembered the glint in Tsume's eyes when he heard her story, and remembered that the gray wolf had doubted her story from the start. Toboe trusted the gray wolf's judgment. He just hoped that the she-wolf's lies (if it was indeed a lie) didn't extend past the insignificant and wouldn't compromise the pack.

_Collen, _he thought silently, though he directed the question to her. _What really happened between you and your previous pack? My parents' murderers?_

_And… are they still out there?_


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Wolf's Rain.

* * *

Chapter Six

The magic of the previous night had faded, but left a lingering aftertaste of what awaited them beyond this world. Their drive steeled and their minds sharpened, their exhaustion having been healed by the moon's rejuvenating light – at least for now. Tsume no longer lagged behind and moved with a restored grace, uncaring of the scratches that still lingered on his coat.

The wolves moved carefully, mindful of the territories on which they traversed. They stayed away from large cats as best as they could, and if their territories could not be circled then they passed through but close together and with fur on end, trying to appear stronger and dominating over potential challengers with their numbers. It was a risky undertaking, but continually moving around territories was taking its toll on their progression. A day passed in this manner. Eventually, the terrain turned into a continuous upward elevation, certain crevices marking the destruction caused by the earth's rock plates shifting over millions of years previously.

Though the wolves' efforts were strong, the terrain was not one that allowed them to set a fast pace. The wind rolled off of the mountain and carried their scent to their hunters, while the wolves themselves had little idea on how close they really were. If they did sense the dogs at some point, it would already be too late to avoid a confrontation. As uncomfortable as it was to remain oblivious, if their senses were alerted then it meant definite trouble. This dilemma left the pack stressed and irritable. Their eyes were always sharp, turning constantly to gaze into the distance that they left behind. The hills that stretched below them were unlikely to provide particularly good visibility of their pursuers, the shadowy crevices naturally shielded by rock. Ahead, the mountains loomed with a different challenge altogether – both a hindrance and perhaps, however small that hope may be, a promise of escape. It was dangerous for wolves. It was even more dangerous for humans.

The terrain, continuously elevating with a rocky slope, housed sweet-smelling pines that stood trim and tall on the uneven ground. They were evergreen, though dead needles and cones were scattered over the earth below. Their trunks, though not the pleasing copper of an admirably beautiful forest, presented some dim color against the bland winter that surrounded it. Withered yellow grass swayed in the wind to the rhythm of its song. Despite the situation that drove the pack to trek up the hill as quickly as their abilities stretched, Toboe found himself enjoying this particular corner of nature. A large city couldn't be situated here, and logging would not be a very easy task if it meant transporting the trees across the wide expense of hills and uneven earth. Thus, it was relatively untouched – a sweet, sad painting of the long-gone glory of the world before the Taint.

A fantasy entered Toboe's mind. A luminous white flower broke the hard soil of an ancient grave, where humanity has buried the wondrous gifts that the world had bestowed upon its creation. Its petals, though radiant, were thin and delicate. It wasn't the best specimen of the lunar flower. It was a mere shadow of what it could have been, had the circumstances been different. Similarly, this pine forest was a remnant of a better world, partly corrupt but still nurturing freshness and peace at its heart.

The wolves could not appreciate this rare relief fully. An ominous feeling still hung over them and stretched their souls with nervous viciousness and malice. Darkly, Toboe found himself wishing that the swaying mountain tops would crumble and bury their hunters. It wasn't hate, but it was the feeling of a hunted animal approaching the end of their bearing. The wild struggle was taking its toll on the pup.

Toboe could see Kiba ahead, eyes lowered, breathing deeply. He seemed to be taking a moment to relax and to forget. The responsibility of leading the pack to safety and avoiding their pursuers was weighing heavily on him. Even Hige seemed uncharacteristically tense.

After hours of a panting trek uphill, Kiba finally called a stop. The other four wolves plopped down without complaint. Tsume lowered his head to his paws and let himself slip into a dose, Hige following his example. Collen settled herself next to the pup and lent her warmth, her shaggy fur and hard side pressing against Toboe's. He could feel the ribs in her massive ribcage expanding and contracting with every breath.

Kiba scrambled onto a wide, flat stone that stuck out of the steep hillside. He faced downhill and settled down, tired eyes watching the thin forest. Since they had met, Kiba seemed infallible. Now, he just looked exhausted. Toboe felt somewhat disheartened, as if this rare show of weakness from the alpha was a sign that everything would not be alright as he had hoped.

A wet nose nudged the pup's side. Collen was watching him quietly. She didn't say anything, but looked slightly expectant as she lay down on her belly. Agreeably, he settled down and let her side warm him.

* * *

All too soon Toboe was being prodded into wakefulness. The sun hovered scarcely lower then where he had glimpsed it before his drowse, indicating that the break was rather short. It wasn't enough. He felt like the moon had brought him unnatural strength the other night, and sapped it with their parting. His limbs felt heavy and unresponsive, though he dragged himself to his paws and settled in line. As always, Kiba led the pack. Hige trudged behind the alpha, followed by Tsume, Toboe, and Collen. The alpha chose the easiest pathway that his experience suggested, trying the conserve the pack's waning strength.

"Kiba," Toboe muttered. The other wolves glanced at him briefly, slightly surprised that he spoke up. Toboe was usually quiet and observing, merely watching the interactions of the pack. "Would they follow us here?" He briefly cringed at the whining tone.

Kiba stayed silent for a moment, contemplating. "It's likely," he said. The pup lowered his head, tail drooping. "We still have to cross the mountains. It won't get any easier," continued the alpha. Toboe briefly wondered if this comment was meant to be consoling or rebuking, and kept silent. He didn't want to sound like he was complaining. He was still aware that they might have gotten away relatively intact and without such diligent pursuers had it not been for his collapse days ago. It was an amazing consequence for a moment of weakness.

"You'll be _fine,_" sighed Hige. "It's a mountain. You're a wolf. _They_ are just some lowly humans and their pet puppies playing pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey."

"Except they're not blindfolded," Collen chimed in. "We are. They could be only a mile away and we would be none the wiser." Toboe granted her an alarmed look and the she-wolf looked away, as if mentally rebuking herself on a tactless comment. They were silent after that, concentrating on their breathing and the rhythm of their travel.

A few minutes passed in quiet contemplation. Surprisingly, Tsume was the one to break it. "Humans wouldn't make it this far easily. Their hounds possibly would." Kiba cocked his head in question, wondering what the gray wolf was getting at. "If it does come to making a stand, we would have the advantage of the terrain. They would be downhill."

Hige stopped and swiveled around, jaw slack. "Just what are you suggesting? I thought we were through with doing stupid things."

Tsume growled at the other wolf irritatingly before glancing past him to Kiba. "Just think about it," he snapped.

"There were about a dozen dogs at the settlement," said Collen. Hige blinked at her, as if to say, _and?_ "And, would they really drop everything and send all of them after us? The whole hunting village tracking us because we killed one of them?"

"Because we're_ wolves,_" said Hige. "Because our skin is worth enough to feed them for months."

"They don't know that," said Tsume nonchalantly. Toboe was slightly surprised that he and Collen seemed to be siding together, as they didn't seem particularly fond of each other. He might have even appreciated the situation had he not been so focused on their conversation. "Even if that brat did run home and bragged that there were wolves about, the most they would think is that he was dreaming up some fantasy," continued Tsume.

Just as Hige opened his mouth to argue, Kiba stopped the procession. He stood for a few moments before gazing back at them thoughtfully, eyes appraising every wolf. He studied their shaking frames carefully. Tsume realized what the alpha was doing and his eyes glinted with something feral, recognizing the opportunity to drive the point home. "They're weaker than us. If we made it this far in this shape, they'll be twice as bad."

The white wolf tensed as he recognized that same rashness that he lectured Tsume about earlier. His jaw clenched and he swallowed thickly, picking his words carefully and trying to sound rational. "First of all," he said, "you're assuming that they didn't send all the hounds after us, but don't forget that this isn't hunting season. They don't need to bring down enough bucks to lug to the city – only to feed themselves." A moment of silence stretched before the alpha continued. "Second of all, even if we do manage to bring down the dogs, there is a very real chance that we'll lose our own as well." Hige and Toboe glanced between the other three wolves, slightly fearful and knowing that this conversation may decide their next course of action. "Lastly," Kiba continued, "there is still a chance that we can escape without confrontation. We'll reach the top of this hill – at that point, if we go any further then we will lose the advantage of high ground. When we reach that point, we will pause for a few days to regain our strength. If the hounds approach us in that time, then we have no choice but to fight. If they don't… then maybe we're safe."

The last comment was whispered and lingering. It shed some hope onto the dark situation. The whole conversation had awakened a feeling of purpose. They felt as if control was within their reach again. They knew what they were going to do, and however risky, it empowered them.

Needlessly, the alpha enquired: "Is everyone alright with that?" A loaded silence proclaimed the others' agreement.

The gray wolf regained some of his usual sureness. His whole posture changed, the exhaustion having lifted (somewhat) as his life regained some certainty. His eyes glinted. Toboe, though slightly wary of Tsume's eagerness to fight, felt assured by the confidence that he radiated.

It was evening when the wolves finally reached the top of the hill. It was relatively steep and hard going, and they gratefully settled down to rest. Tsume took first watch, Toboe struggling to stay awake to keep him company. The night passed uneventfully, the whistling wind having settled into the background, ignored.

The next day, the wolves hunted. Hige caught scent of a mountain goat and almost quivered with excitement – both at the prospect of food and of the hunt itself. He led the pack around the rocks stationed relatively close to the top of the hill and their temporary den. Soft clicking could be heard overhead. Above them, a beautifully crowned goat was making its way over the rocks. It paused to sniff tufts of dead grass, its soft lips reaching out to grasp it before jerking its head to the side and tearing it off. It chewed obliviously, completely focused on what it was doing.

Kiba and Tsume carefully made their way to higher ground while the other three wolves stayed below. Their claws rubbed against the rock as they padded closer to their quarry. When the goat had finally caught sight of them, its nostrils expanded with a sharp inhalation. Its haunches lowered as it swiveled around, pressing its hoofs firmly onto the platform before tensing to spring.

The two wolves leaped into action, jaws snapping after the escaping goat. There was nowhere for it to go but below, and when it did, Collen quickly showed herself to cut off one possible escape route. As the goat paused and reared, Kiba abandoned his high perch to leap onto its back, bringing it down heavily on the hard ground. His jaws swiftly clamped upon its throat. They waited.

When it was over, the wolves settled down not far from the carcass and eyed it appraisingly. Kiba licked the blood from his muzzle, its bright red contrasting admirably against his snowy coat. After a few hours, Hige finally prodded the goat and tore into its skin, exposing the red muscle underneath. The meat had softened in the short period that it was left alone, and though usually they would have left it alone for about a day (and maybe even buried it), circumstances and experience told them that they may not have a chance to eat it later. They feasted fitfully.

The wolves were almost done with the meat when Hige raised his head and sniffed the wind tentatively. The others eyed him with expectation in their eyes.

"Either they separated and are circling us, or there really are so few of them…"

"How few do you mean?" asked Kiba snappily.

"Maybe five?" Hige shrugged uncertainly.

Tsume's eyes glinted. The wolves rose to their paws and quickly made their way to the top of the hill, tactfully choosing a drastically sloping portion of the terrain to make their stand. Two large stones stuck out of the ground, providing a horizontal perch. The slope would give them an initial advantage, though overall would only complicate the impending fight. They quietly positioned themselves in a half-circle around Toboe, their backs to the pup and heads lowered. They were completely focused on their senses, interpreting the messages that the nature conveyed. It was barely past midday.

Minutes passed. The wind continued to roll away from the wolves and down the hill. Since Hige scented the hounds even in this environment, it meant that they were very close indeed. Sure enough, the others' senses were soon alert to the intruders. A few more minutes later, the first lithe greyhound emerged from the shadows. Four more followed. It was exactly five.

The greyhounds gazed up at the wolves, meeting their eyes with seeming confidence even as their jaws slackened and paws tensed. Their numbers matched, but the wolves were still bigger and stronger. They took advantage of this and exposed their fangs threateningly, tails raised.

Surprisingly, the hounds responded in a similar manner. Their eyes were bright and alert, and it occurred to Toboe that the pack of dogs also had a purpose that they fully believed in. They were like soldiers going to their slaughter – bravely and with a cause. Surely they knew that they couldn't take five wolves?

It was obvious who the dogs' alpha was. It was a large greyhound with a smoky coat, older then the rest but strong enough to dominate them. He was charging up the hill in front of the pack, jaws open to show off long, thin teeth. The looked sharp enough to cut through fur like razors. The pup shuddered.

When the greyhounds were close enough, the wolves leaped off of their perch and took full advantage of the slope. They barreled into the dogs with all their strength, gravity giving them an extra edge to slam the others to the ground. Two dogs snapped their jaws at Kiba while the other three occupied Hige, Collen and Tsume. Toboe did his best to help, through his frame rattled with adrenaline and anxiety. One of the hounds was quickly captured under Collen's strong paw, Tsume taking the initiative to bite into the back of its neck. It howled and yelped with the knowledge that it was dieing. This only enraged its companions, one of which latched onto Tsume's back with a quick, precise bite.

Toboe barreled into the greyhound with an angered growl, though quickly hastened away when its sharp teeth released the gray wolf and instead found their way to the pup's paw. It released just as quickly, like a snake, before turning its attention to the older wolves. Hige bumped into Toboe's side lightly, turning briefly to glance at him with anxious eyes. His message was clear. _Stay away._

It was an awkward battle, stationed on a perilous hillside that complicated every strike. The advantage had been exploited and discarded, leaving both sides with a difficult struggle. Though injuries were suffered by both parties, the wolves quickly dominated. All seemed well until another unexpected surprise emerged – two more greyhounds leaped off the ledge that the wolves had previously vacated and joined the fight. Hige's wide, astonished eyes conveyed that he scarcely had time to sense them, though knew that they had cleverly circled the wolves before joining the fight. It was now six against five – one greyhound having fallen under Tsume's rage. Unfortunately, the wolves were already tired and battered. The two new hounds were fresh and ready to fight.

Ignoring the newcomers, Collen took advantage of the distraction and bit into the paw of another hound. She braced herself against the earth and pulled, flinging the dog onto its side as a disgusting grinding sound emerged from where she held it. It was the sound of her teeth against the bone, raw and feral – reminiscent of her attack on Blue days earlier. The dog howled with disastrous pain when she let go, trying to scramble onto its three good paws, holding the other tentatively above the earth. The thin ripped muscle oozed an alarming amount of blood onto the ground.

Kiba quickly leapt away from the two hounds who were fighting him and rejoined his packmates, taking his position to face the alpha of the rival pack. Toboe was fairly shielded, but the hounds were circling the weakened pack with blazing eyes. Three of them quickly leapt onto Collen while the remaining two tried to get to Toboe, acknowledging the pup as being the weakest among the wolves. Hige rushed to aid Collen while Tsume and Kiba positioned themselves in front of the pup.

A blazing line of agony trailed down Toboe's side before numbness claimed it. His skin felt loose and burning. The dog that Collen had injured was apparently not out of the fight yet. Its jaws snapped towards the pup's neck, not as agile as before but deadly either way. Toboe yelped and scuttled to the side, raising a paw to the hound's muzzle and leaving a trail of blood with his claws. His shaking body was slow to respond, but he took advantage of their similar sizes (greyhounds were, after all, smaller than wolves) and tackled the dog with all his strength. He bit into its throat and tore it out savagely.

After the kill, Toboe felt as if something was shifting in his side. It was as if his ribs had cracked in the wake of his sudden movement, as if his ribcage had exploded and something splintered beneath his skin. He stretched forward, elongating his spine to gasp more air into lungs that didn't seem to be able to handle it. His skin felt as if it had been stitched awkwardly to his side, and as if those stitches were tearing. Everything blurred, the savage growls on either side melting into the howling of the wind until the two sounds merged into one continuous scream. He collapsed next to the dog's cooling carcass, and everything seemed to fade. The world consisted of cold rock, the bitter wind, and a disgusting liquid iron trailing down his throat.

* * *

Night came quickly, darkness shrouding the world like a curtain that fell gracefully upon the stage. Crickets whispered lullabies to anyone who would care to listen, swaying the world to sleep with gentle rhythm. They were beautiful songs. Even the wind quieted to listen. The forest stood trim and unchanged, the smell of pine wafting over cold, dry earth. The sky was black. Thin, dispersed clouds dimmed the moon and stars and let the shadows reign.

A pack of wolves huddled together under a rocky ledge. There were five of them – all scarred and battered, though all alive. They were sleeping soundly, uncaring of any dangers that might present themselves but simply content in their sleep. A price had been paid in blood and hurt over this peace of mind. No human could reach them here, and any animal that could and meant them harm was dead or long gone.

The night passed in silence.

* * *

A sharp whistle, sounding from somewhere far away, disturbed a flock of birds from the trees. They rose in a spiraling disarray as the wicked sound echoed throughout the hills. The hunters were calling back their dogs.

Hige was the first to respond. He spent a few minutes nudging his alpha, who merely moaned and flicked an ear in an irritated fashion. Hige gave up with a disgruntled sigh. Some time was spent licking his wounds that he had previously neglected. After that, he lumbered from wolf to wolf and nudged them, whining. He tried to clean them but soon lost interest and instead watched the rising sun.

Tsume was the next to awaken, followed by the rest of the pack. They quietly appraised each other, then separated and spent a few hours resting and taking care of themselves. Collen concentrated on Toboe, gazing over him with dark eyes that belayed her damaged soul. Toboe shared the sentiment.

Hige seemed to be in the best shape out of all of them. His thick fur had provided him with some much-needed protection, minimizing the damage of the jaws that found his flank the previous day. Nevertheless, the pain of his numerous wounds was visible with every jerky move.

Kiba, Collen and Tsume suffered similar injuries, if slightly deeper and more damaging. Toboe had a weak paw from where a hound had bit it, and though it was a great inconvenience, his side pained him the most. The wound there was skin-deep but long. Unlike the previous day, it felt tight instead of lose. The dry blood that caked it held the patched fur together like a delicate web.

Two hounds had escaped the previous night. They were injured severely, but managed to crawl away from the conflict while the wolves were busy with the others. Even though it was quickly realized and their trail could be easily followed, it was a meaningless inconvenience that was not worth the time or effort to pursue. Two battered hounds could bring no harm to a pack of five.

Throughout the hours, Toboe found himself wondering what the other wolves thought about the situation. On one hand, they got rid of their pursuers. On the other, they had suffered injuries that would trail them for a while yet and hinder their efforts at crossing the mountain. His worries were left unsaid, as he was sure that the other wolves were more than aware of the situation.

Kiba dragged himself to his paws and appraised his packmates. A few minutes passed before he bid them to rise, muttering about getting away from the scene of the battle. No one complained. They couldn't accurately judge when the hunters would reach the area, and didn't want to hang around for when they discovered that only two of their dogs survived. It was a relatively safe assumption, however, to say that they would probably drop the chase. They had already lost enough – in total, six hounds and a man. To chase the pack any closer to the mountain, amid the dangerous terrain, would be almost impossible for humans. Though they could gradually pick their way through the wilderness, they would never be able to catch up.

Toboe just hoped that if they did decide to scout the wolves' trail for a couple of miles further, the pack would be long gone. The grievous injuries would make that difficult enough. The need to travel fast was like another nail in the coffin.

The path from here forth was downhill, though not as drastically sloped as it was on the uphill side. It would still remain elevated – a mountain steppe that was covered in patches of forest. The trek downward was not as windy, being somewhat shielded by the mountain, but a light breeze still whispered from the side. The mountain loomed ahead like a resting giant.

After about a mile of hesitant travel, the wolves settled down again. They chose a grove of thin bush and huddled up underneath. Toboe pressed against Tsume's side mutely, the other ignoring him completely and concentrating on his own wounds. Toboe did the same and licked his troubling paw consistently.

"Satisfied?" Kiba murmured to the gray wolf. He didn't betray any emotion and seemed almost uncaring.

Tsume paused in what he was doing and cast the other a dark look. "It would have happened at some point."

Surprisingly, Kiba seemed accepting, if not a bit disgruntled. Collen, Hige and Toboe had been prepared for another banter, having edged away from the two wolves. When it didn't come, they cautiously resumed licking their wounds.

Indeed, it would have happened at some point. It was now clear as day. The hounds were fit animals, experienced in their practice. They wouldn't have dropped the chase so easily. One thing that they weren't used to was for their prey to bite back, having hunted deer for most of their life. Perhaps it was a good thing that the wolves had faced them now – on set terms, taking full advantage of the terrain – rather than on the cold crevices of the mountain itself. Nevertheless, their current condition would make the crossing of the mountain much more difficult.

Hige pointed out this fact grumpily, and the other wolves paused in what they were doing. "You're right," muttered Collen, looking up at the looming rock. "Maybe we can—"

"Go around?" asked the other hopefully. "Good idea!"

Kiba was looking between the two, slack-jawed. "You're not serious," he stated. He gazed at them for a moment before enquiring hesitantly, "are you?"

Hige gave him a blank look. "You mean you seriously wanna climb that thing?"

Collen hastened to explain, gazing around at everyone as if trying to convince the whole pack. "We don't need to go around the whole mountain range, just circle the crowns."

"Circle _wide_," Hige added.

Kiba glanced between the two wolves before conceding. "Stick to the valleys then," he said as if trying to interpret their meaning.

"Stick to the valleys," Collen confirmed.

Toboe, who was listening with rapt attention, felt a vague sense of relief. The steep mountainside that stood before them seemed to reach to the clouds like a thunderbird's perch, up there with the gods. The snow that capped them blended with the clouds and shined a blinding white in the sun. It looked inaccessible.

With their injuries, however, simply moving was proving difficult. They remained in their temporary shelter for the rest of the day, listening to the wind's whispered lullabies.


End file.
